It seems Track 3 of the metro will get on track. Expected since 2002 by São Gonçalo, a city with more than one million residents, the work that will connect it to the city of Niterói is scheduled to begin in October. The resources from the Brazilian Growth Acceleration Program (PAC – Programa de Aceleração do Crescimento) totaled R$1,7 billion – R$500 million from the Brazil Federal Budget, R$774 million from BNDES, R$200 million from a Banco do Brasil’s financing and R$260 million of environmental compensation.
By describing the works of the São Gonçalo-Niterói metro, the state government makes it clear that the route of Track 3 will be the same as the old railroad between a city and another. Then the trouble begins. Reporters of GLOBO walked the course and have encountered several obstacles that the construction will face. One of the most surprising is the outdoor gym made by the city hall of São Gonçalo exactly on top of the rails. This caused dismay among residents.
“So the state government does not communicate with the city hall? How so?” says Israel de Oliveira, a teacher of art education.
According to a spokesperson of the state government, whatever is on the railroad between Arariboia Square, in Niterói, and Guaxindiba district, in São Gonçalo, must be removed.
“That is throwing our tax money away,” housewife Glaice Domingues complained.
In addition to the city gym, the construction of a garden, a work performed by the city hall at Maurício Abreu Street, on the railroad track, is also an example of a mismatch between the governments. The state will still find irregular constructions in Alcântara district and parked cars on the railroad track, as in Barreto district, in Niterói.
In response to GLOBO, a press officer for the city hall of São Gonçalo said that, according to the Department of Infrastructure and Urban Planning, the metro will be elevated from Niterói to Jardim Catarina district, in São Gonçalo, rising to a height of 15 meters. From Jardim Catarina to Guaxindiba, it will run on the surface. If there is the need of expropriation, the city hall of São Gonçalo will intermediate, since the land belongs to the city, but the state government will have the responsibility for the compensation, the city hall statement said.
According to the state government, however, it does not matter if the stretch is suspended or not: whatever is on the railroad track will be removed.
The work of the metro Track 3 has been embargoed since 2003 because of irregularities found by the Brazilian Court of Audit (BCA), which prevented the release of funds from the federal government. Therefore, the state government decided to make a new bid for the construction of the Niterói-São Gonçalo section.
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