Maya Train: Mexico's Ambitious $28B Megaproject Brings Ancient Maya Sites Closer to Tourists
The Maya Train in Mexico, a megaproject that costs $28 billion, is considered the most significant construction project in the world. The construction of this train, which has been going on for almost two years, is now finished. It will reportedly bring ancient Maya landmarks closer to travelers since this train will connect popular tourist destinations in Mexico.
Maya Train
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico ordered the military to construct a new international airport in Tulum at a breakneck speed in response to the region's skyrocketing growth. El Tren Maya, also known as The Maya Train, is a new 290-mile track that connects famous archeological sites across the Yucatán peninsula. Additionally, it intends to open more than 600 miles of track in the not-too-distant future.
As mentioned, more than 40 trains will stop at 34 stations in southeast Mexico after finishing the Tren Maya project. These stations will be located in the states of Campeche, Chiapas, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, and Yucatán, which will bring passengers to interior landscapes that are otherwise inaccessible.
On the other hand, passengers are currently restricted from boarding the train at Teya and can only travel between Cancun and Campeche. It is anticipated that once it is fully operational, passengers will be able to depart at any of the fourteen stops along this initial segment of the train's route to visit the well-known Mayan ruins at Chichén Itzá.
The authorities set the target date for completing the train's final sections in late February. But the ultimate goal is to establish a connection between Cancún and Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum. This connection will be made by traversing the Caribbean coast and returning to the region's interior.
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Controversies on Maya Train
Environmentalists, archaeologists, and activists have voiced their strong disapproval of the government's hasty efforts to finish the Maya Train project before the conclusion of Obrador's term in office. For instance, in 2021, the administration of Obrador issued a decree that mandates the automatic approval of public works regarded as in the national interest or to affect national security. This decree allowed the project to proceed without complying with specific regulatory processes.
Aarón Hernández Siller, who works with the environmental non-governmental organization CEMDA, asserted that these railway lines are false borders for animals such as jaguars. As a result of their width, which exceeds sixty meters or about 197 feet, they also serve as a boundary for particular seeds and spores.
CartoCrítica, a Mexican environmental organization, disclosed satellite data in August indicating the deforestation of approximately 16,500 acres, the majority of which was purportedly in contravention of federal regulations in Mexico. Hundreds of freshwater caves, known as cenotes, are reportedly in peril by the Maya Train.
Moreover, several kinds of items have been discovered due to the construction. For instance, in 2021, researchers found a Maya canoe close to Chichén Itzá. The canoe was dated between 830 and 950 C.E. Gabriella Angeleti of the Art Newspaper reports that it will eventually be displayed in one of the three museums supported by the government and scheduled to open within the next two years.
Additionally, safety concerns are also brought up by detractors, in addition to environmental and archaeological harm. Certain portions of the Maya Train are constructed on land highly susceptible to structural damage.
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