BY ROCÍO ZAYAS
The News
The Communications and Transportation Secretariat (SCT) will in December open the bidding process for up to 25 billion pesos ($1.9 billion) worth of highway and port infrastructure projects scheduled for 2014.
The announcement was made by SCT Director Gerardo Ruiz Esparza during the inauguration of the 27th National Civil Engineering Conference, where he called on those interested to await more details.
“We are scheduled to open bids — and this is very important — for 1 billion pesos, and we hope that we can reach the 25 billion pesos we have earmarked in the 2014 budget,” Ruiz Esparza said. “That is, we’re going to get an early start and not only make timely use of our budget, but also advance on the bidding processes for the coming year and reach the 25 billion if we can. But the 24 billion that will be assigned in December for highway and port projects is confirmed.”
The SCT’s 2014 budget is 37.7 percent larger than in 2013, he said, claiming that the agency has not engaged in “underspending” this year — a common practice in Mexico where the government spends less on projects than it has budgeted, with bureaucrats pocketing the difference.
Ruiz Esparza added that the bidding process for the Mérida-Punta Venado, Mexico City-Toluca and Mexico City-Querétaro passenger train lines, as well as the Guadalajara light rail system, would be opened in April 2014 at the very latest.
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