In a win for activists, judge halts work on Playa del Carmen-Tulum section of Maya Train

Construction connected a cardinal remaining agelong of the Maya Train was halted aft a national appeals tribunal granted a “definitive suspension” until the designated authorities corroborate that the task complies with biology regulations.

The civilian enactment Sélvame del Tren (Save maine from the train) was the plaintiff  successful the case, which resulted successful the tribunal ordering the authorities to instrumentality enactment to sphere the situation and transportation retired inspections, verifications and conservation measures successful the earthy areas that the unfinished agelong of Section 5 crosses.

One of the astir superior biology risks successful the operation of the railway is the piling of unstable enactment posts into underground caverns, cenotes and aquifers. (@AlexItesm/on X)

The ruling orders the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) to oversee and warrant adherence to the court’s orders.

Section 5 of the 1,554-kilometer rider obstruction enactment runs southbound from Cancún and is being extended from Playa del Carmen to Tulum, 2 of Mexico’s astir fashionable tourer destinations. 

This 65-kilometer conception of the Maya Train has been a absorption of environmentalists’ objections since operation began, arsenic it progressive drilling done underground stone formations and piercing a important information of the region’s delicate cave strategy with alloy and factual piles.

Activists who person denounced the task since its conception called Section 5 the astir damaging to biodiversity, citing the nonaccomplishment of astir 3.6 cardinal trees. In 2024, they revealed that much than 120 caves — a captious portion of the Maya Jungle’s aquifer strategy — had been damaged.

The Maya Train, which was inaugurated successful 2024, runs a 1,554-kilometer loop astir the Yucatán Peninsula, connecting the region’s archaeological sites, beaches and cities similar Mérida and Cancún. (Ruta Tren Maya)

Last month, Sélvame del Tren published a video demonstrating that alloy piles had corroded and the resulting structural harm allowed tons of factual to leak into the caves.

The court’s ruling is not a implicit surprise. Last year, the Environment Ministry (Semarnat) admitted that operation of the bid had so caused biology damage, citing Section 5 successful particular. Semarnat confirmed that astatine slightest 8 caverns and cenotes were importantly compromised to accommodate the train.

In a statement, Sélvame del Tren said the determination represents a measurement toward “the extortion of our earthy resources and guarantees that verification, inspection, conservation and safeguarding enactment volition beryllium carried retired successful effect to the corresponding nationalist complaints.” 

Meanwhile, freight way operation continues

On Thursday, subject technologist Ricardo Vallejo Suárez provided an update connected the advancement of the Maya Train freight service project, which could statesman operations aboriginal this year.

Speaking astatine President Claudia Sheinbaum’s greeting property briefing, Vallejo said the 4 multimodal cargo terminals are astir 25% completed.

General Vallejo reported connected Thursday that the 4 Maya Train cargo terminals are 25% completed.(Hazel Cárdenas / Presidencia)

The works see the operation of much than 950 kilometers of caller way to make a cargo circuit that volition tally done the Yucatán Peninsula.

This includes 101 kilometers of gait tracks successful the freight complexes, positive 70 kilometers of caller way to link the metropolis of Mérida with Progreso and the caller concern corridor from Poxilá to Mérida.

Additionally, a 7-kilometer trunk enactment volition link the Cancún rider terminal with the caller multimodal freight terminal.

Vallejo besides said the commissioning of the treble way successful Sections 4 and 5 that tally done Quintana Roo has been officially granted.

With reports from Wired and El Economista