(ATR) Rio de Janeiro State Secretary of Transport Rodrigo Vieira says that the necessary funding to complete the line 4 metro expansion will be delivered next week.
The state of Rio de Janeiro is unable to receive funds from the federal government without approval due to missing a loan payment last month. Although the line 4 metro expansion is 96 percent complete, according to the state government, $285.6 million is still required to complete the works. The state of Rio initially sought a loan to resolve the matter, which was held up due to the state not meeting federal requirements.
Vieira confirmed that the funds will be released after acting President Temer visited Rio yesterday to speak with state Governor Francisco Dornelles to reach a solution to complete the works. It is unclear if the original loan is being honored or if the federal government has agreed to pay the deficit outright to complete the project.
The line 4 metro expansion is a key part of the city’s transportation plan during the 2016 Games as it is expected to carry Olympic tourists from the South Zone of Rio to Barra da Tijuca where the Olympic Park is located. After the Games the line is expected to carry 300,000 passengers a day.
Vieira said that five of the six new stations built on the line 4 metro will be open for the Olympic Games on August 1. Trains will run every 8 minutes when the metro is open during its limited capacity run during the Olympics and Paralympics.
"This will give us the capacity to carry 11,000 passengers per hour per direction," Viera said.
"This capability is compatible with the estimated demand for the Olympic period. Currently we have trains circulating throughout the line, making feedback testing.
"In the coming days, we will make new tests, so that we have fulfilled all the routine tests defined by the law, side by side with the system operator, with all the security."
Written by Aaron Bauer in Rio de Janeiro.
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