The pet project of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s administration, known as the Maya Train tourist line, has been plagued by numerous issues since its inception. The massive project, which was initially estimated to cost $8.5 billion, has now ballooned to an estimated $30 billion, with only half of it being completed. The project aims to connect the Yucatan Peninsula and has wreaked significant damage on the environment.
Despite the government’s initial promises that the train would carry between 22,000 and 37,000 passengers per day, the current ridership numbers are a far cry from those projections. According to government figures released Monday, only about 1,200 people use the train each day, with most of them using it for short stretches between cities like Merida and Cancun.
The government had hoped that tourists would use the train to explore the Mayan archaeological sites along the route, but the reality is far from that. A round-trip journey from Cancun to Palenque, a well-known Mayan temple complex, has only attracted about 100 passengers per day, which is equivalent to what a bus or two could handle.
Critics argue that there is little evidence to suggest that the project will be profitable, given its high cost and low ridership numbers. The government had also changed the route of the Cancun-Tulum line due to technical difficulties, which has made it less appealing to tourists.
However, some positives have come out of the project. According to Manuel Merino, the governor of Tabasco, the Maya Train has created 20,000 direct or indirect jobs in his state and lowered the unemployment rate by 40%. While most of these jobs will be lost once construction is finished, the project has still had a positive impact on the local economy.
In conclusion, the Maya Train tourist line has been plagued by numerous issues since its inception. Despite its high cost and low ridership numbers, the project has created some positive impacts on the local economy. However, it remains to be seen whether the project will be profitable in the medium term.
Source: AP
