MP recommends contract cancellation for light rail system in Brasília

The Prosecution Office of the Federal District and Territories (MPDFT) has recommended to the Underground Company of the Federal District (Companhia do Metropolitano do Distrito Federal - Metrô-DF) that they cancel the tender and also the contract for the implementation of the Light Rail System in Brasília and also open an administrative lawsuit to investigate irregularities in the process of hiring for this assignment. This recommendation has also been seconded by the Federal Prosecution Office.

Last week the document was handed to the Governor of the Federal District, Rogério Rosso. The Government will now present a justified answer about the compliance with this recommendation, within 15 days.

The Prosecution Office is already investigating the regularity of the tender process for the implementation of the light rail system. An injunction lodged by the Courts of Justice of the Federal District and Territories (TJDFT) suspended the work at the start of September, as also the process for payment to the companies of the consortium that won the tender process. It is suspected that there has been a transfer of funds between the competitors in the process for the selection of the company that would be responsible for the work after the result regarding the winner (please read more). The decision taken by the TJDFT was in response to an action by the MPDFT, requesting the cancellation of the tender for the basic and the executive projects of the work on the light rail system.

The Light Rail System
The Light Rail Vehicle will connect Juscelino Kubitschek International Airport to W3Sul and Norte avenues. There will be stops close to the future Mané Garrincha National Stadium, making it possible for the supporters to use this means of transport to watch the matches. In addition, the system should also help with the arrival of tourists coming by air, to the hotel sectors of the city.

The total price tag on this project is R$ 1.5 billion, of which R$ 263 million will be financed by the Growth Acceleration Plan (PAC) for Urban Mobility. The PAC will finance the purchase of the trains and carriages, and also the stretch connecting the airport to the Asa Sul terminal. Another part of the cash will come from a loan agreement to be signed between the Government of the Federal District and the French Development Agency.