Construction News

Fri March 29 2024

Related Information

Mexico plans £210bn infrastructure expansion

16 Jul 13 Mexico’s president Enrique Peña Nieto has announced plans for investment of 4,000 billion pesos (£210bn) in infrastructure.

The figure represents the transport and communications infrastructure investment programme for the period to 2018 together with various investments in other departments and agencies such as the National Water Commission. He said that this figure could eventually increase, pending approval of a tax reform that will be submitted for approval in September.

Secretary of communications and transport Gerardo Ruiz Esparza said that private sector participation and construction companies will be crucial to achieving the objectives.

The president explained that the transport aspect of the programme seeks to improve roads, railways, ports, airports and telecommunications. It is "designed to turn Mexico into a major global logistics hub with high added value”.

Related Information

The transport and communications programme alone is expected to trigger both public and private investment in the sector of some 1,300 billion pesos. “The size of these figures reflects the commitment of the government of the Republic to turn transport and communications into a strategic engine for national development,” he said.

In terms of road infrastructure, the government plans to have a safe, complete backbone that will provide better links between all regions and bring remote communities closer together. As for railways, the aim is to restore passenger rail transport and encourage greater use of freight trains. The goal in port development is to have four world-class ports and strengthen the capacity of the system to support the country’s various economic sectors, as well as encourage the development of the merchant and coastal navy. With respect to airports, the goal is to achieve better service, costs and frequency of air transport, relieve the congestion of Mexico City International Airport and promote regional interconnections. In the telecommunications sector, the aim is to achieve universal access, by expanding network coverage.

“Let’s get to work because time is short,” said Peña Nieto. “It is easy to present this project, but it is more encouraging and more of commitment to know that in a few years’ time, we will be able to implement and achieve the projects we are presenting here today.”
 

Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk

MPU
MPU

Click here to view latest construction news »