Transfer of subway control 'should take place by Dec 1st,' says Gov't

After meeting with the City Government authorities to discuss the transfer of the management of the subway services, Secretary of Transportation Juan Pablo Schiavi announced that he suggested making it effective after December 1st and maintaining a 50 percent of the subsidy that is currently in place. 

Deputy Mayor-elect María Eugenia Vidal replied that they were going to evaluate the proposal, but warned that “at first glance, the deadline set by the National Government seem to be a little too optimistic.”

“We suggested the complete transference of the management by December 1st. We also suggested that the National Government would be willing to pay a 50 percent of the current subsidy for a full year, which would amount to 29 million pesos. We asked the City to take care of the other half,” Schiavi explained. 

Before ending the meeting, Schiavi also said the National Government would be willing to complete the final phase of construction of an extension for the E line.

Vidal replied that City officials had vowed to come up with a response to their proposal by next Monday. 

“At first glance, their deadlines seem to be a little too optimistic,” she said, adding that “they are willing to help the National Government in the transfer of management” and insisted that it must be done in a “shared effort.”

When asked whether the City would be able to afford subsidizing 50 percent of the subway services, the replied that “they would be evaluating it in the next few days.”