Mota-Engil to Construct Guadalajara’s Light Rail Line 4

The consortium led by the Portuguese railway developer Mota-Engil won the tender for the design, planning, construction, equipment procurement and operation of the Light Rail System’s Line 4 in Guadalajara, Jalisco. 

According to Jalisco’s urban transportation operator, Electric Urban Train System (SITEUR), the US$1 billion offer for a public-private development presented by Mota-Engil and Consorcio Tren Ligero Linea 4 Guadalajara (CTL) was deemed a creditworthy proposal. Therefore, the consortium won the contract for the development of the project. “The decision is based on the evaluation of the technical, economic, financial and legal proposals made by the consortium. [The authorities] determined that the consortium conformed by Mota-Engil Mexico and CTL meets the legal, economic and financial requirements to develop the project.”

In September 2022, the consortium was the only party that presented a proposal to develop the project. The consortium’s offer aligned with the state budget of US$1.07 billion approved by the local Congress, which also approved a public investment of US$482,500. The government asked the company to source its materials from local suppliers if they meet the material characteristics and do not raise costs. The government also offered to provide assistance via the Ministry of Economic Development, which could recommend suppliers to the company to the benefit of local industry.

This is not the first time Mota-Engil won a tender for the development of a railway project during the López Obrador administration. MBN has reported that the company is on its way to becoming a major developer of railroad infrastructure in Mexico. The first project it gained was Section 1 of the Mayan Train in April 2020, which consists of the development of 228km of a railroad from Chiapas to Campeche. For this project, the company formed a consortium with China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), Grupo Cosh and Gavil Ingenierìa. 

The company has recently gained a contract in Nuevo Leon to construct lines 4, 5 and 6 of Monterrey’s Metro System (Metrorrey), along with the China-based CRRC and CRRC Nanjing Puzhen, with an estimated investment of US$1.2 million.