The Minas Gerais Railway Strategic Plan (PEF), presented by the State Secretariat for Infrastructure and Mobility (Seinfra), should invest in 10 projects in the south of Minas Gerais for the implementation and operation of a new railway structure in Minas Gerais. Four of them will have priority for investment according to plan criteria.
Therefore, the proposals that are part of the plan were presented in February at a workshop promoted by the secretariat. In all, 60 proposals were presented involving regional passenger rail transport, cargo transport, tourist transport, urban contours and stretches, and logistics platforms throughout the state.
The proposals were listed according to the AHP Model (Analytic Hierarchy Process) for preliminary analysis. This model is used all over the world to rank projects according to priority criteria, such as implementation forecast, potential demand and complexity.
However, the proposals that will have priority in the south of Minas are the implementation of regional passenger transport lines between Divinópolis and Lavras, and between Lavras/Três Corações/Varginha.
Therefore, the implementation of the tourist passenger train between São Sebastião do Rio Verde and Passa Quatro and the integration of Porto Seco do Sul de Minas, in Varginha, with the Varginha/Três Corações branch of the Ferrovia Centro Atlântica are still on the list of priorities.
However, check below the projects in Sul de Minas that are included in the railway plan and their priority ranking:
Railway for freight transport:
Reactivation of the railway between Itaú de Minas, São Sebastião do Paraíso and Ribeirão Preto (SP) – 7th in the ranking
Regional passenger transport:
Divinópolis/Lavras Line – 1st in the ranking
Lavras/Três Corações/Varginha – 1st in the ranking
Varginha/Três Corações/Soledade Cruzeiro (SP) – 4th in the ranking
Poços de Caldas/Aguaí/Campinas (SP) – 7th in the ranking
Passenger tourist trains:
São Sebastião Line from Rio Verde to Passa Quatro – 1st in the ranking
Jacutinga Line (between Sapucaí and Mons. Dutra neighborhoods) – 4th in the ranking
Linha Perdões a Lavras e Carrancas – 5th in the ranking
Line from Poços de Caldas to Águas da Prata (SP) – 6th in the ranking
Multimodal cargo terminals:
The PEF is sponsored by the National Association of Railway Transporters (ANTF) and the studies are being prepared by Fundação Dom Cabral (FDC). According to the State Secretariat for Infrastructure and Mobility, another seven meetings are planned to present and monitor the next stages of the studies. There is still no prediction of when the projects can come out of paper. Click here to check out the complete list.
Works resumed after delay
Before the works to reactivate the train between São Sebastião do Rio Verde (MG) and São Lourenço (MG) were resumed after having to be paralyzed due to the rainy season. According to the city hall, around 80% of the work have already been completed.
The stretch that will be restored to the city of São Lourenço is 20 kilometers long. The track renovation started in November 2018.
Therefore, the funds for revitalizing the railroad come from an agreement worth R$ 7.5 million between the Minas Gerais Development Company and the City Hall of São Sebastião do Rio Verde. The city must still afford R$ 343 thousand. The agreement was signed in July 2018 and work began five months later.
Especially after the rail reforms, whose completion was scheduled for December last year, the city hall will still need to hold a tender to choose the concessionaire company that will operate the Maria Fumaça.
However, the restoration of the tracks will enhance assets such as a bridge built in the 19th century. The new railway line should diversify the options for tourists, who, in São Lourenço, already have the Trem das Águas.
ADDITIONAL NOTE FROM ABIFER:
Although the State Deputy (MG), João Leite, will make a presentation on the Strategic Railway Plan of the State of Minas Gerais (launched by the Secretary of Infrastructure and Mobility of Minas Gerais, Marco Aurélio Barcelos), next Friday, the 20th of 03/2020, at 10 am, at the FIESP auditorium (Av. Paulista, 1313 – 10th floor).
In short, Prof. Roberto Willians de Santana, director general of the Eng° Silva Freire State Technical Transport School.
