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Budget hearing: decision to build not yet taken; total cost could approach $10 billion
At the Ministry of the Presidency's 2027 budget hearing, Minister Juan Carlos Orillac said the executive is in the final decision phase and that total investment could be around $10,000 million, built in phases over two or three government terms. Railway Secretary Henry Faarup said the decision to build has not been officially taken.
Background & context
The roughly
Background & context
0,000 million figure is not an approved cost. Earlier public estimates were about $5,000 million; the reported increase includes a fifth bridge over the Panama Canal, which Orillac described as the only clear option for crossing it.The B/.10 million requested for 2027 is not for construction. According to Faarup, it covers $5 million for a project manager,
Background & context
.7 million for basic engineering and preparatory work on stations, terminals and alignment, plus geotechnical studies, staff, a master plan for port-adjacent areas and special economic zones, and land clearance.Orillac said about
Background & context
1.8 million has been invested in the Secretariat since 2024–2025 and that the definition and feasibility analyses are about 95% complete. Faarup said the engineering, environmental and demand studies costBackground & context
2.8 million and were delivered to the President and the MEF, along with a review by the Inter-American Development Bank. The EU, the UK and CAF are providing about $700,000 in non-reimbursable support for a railway regulatory framework.Source: TVN Noticias ↗
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