Background on the Mexican Railway System
For decades, the Mexican railway system has faced significant institutional and operational neglect, limiting its potential as an economic development engine and territorial cohesion tool. However, internationally, railway transport for passengers has been harnessed as a means of travel and as an axis for urban development, regional dynamism, and reduction of polluting emissions.
Legislative Reforms
The Mexican Senate unanimously approved (107 votes) a decree to reform the following laws: Ley Reglamentaria del Servicio Ferroviario, Ley Orgánica de la Administración Pública Federal, Ley de Caminos, Puentes y Autotransporte Federal, Ley de Vías Generales de Comunicación, and Ley General de Bienes Nacionales, all in matters related to railways and normative harmonization.
The reforms aim to strengthen and boost the railway industry in Mexico for both passenger and freight transport, recognizing it as a strategic and priority sector for national development.
Key Changes
- Creation of the Agency of Railways and Integrated Public Transport, a decentralized public body under the Secretaría de Infraestructura, Comunicaciones y Transportes.
- Establishment of a specialized structure to coordinate railway projects, regulate the sector, and ensure service safety and efficiency.
- Improvement of mobility by offering efficient, accessible, safe, and sustainable passenger transportation connecting various federal entities, generating employment, and promoting regional economic development.
Impact and Reactions
Senator Laura Estrada (Morena) highlighted that the reform represents a strategic advance in regaining state sovereignty and control over railway transport.
Guadalupe Murguía (PAN) from Querétaro expressed her conviction that her state would be among the first to undertake one of the initial stages of building a long-awaited passenger train project for over 30 years, generating local and regional development opportunities.
Murguía acknowledged that the reform positions railway transport for both cargo and passengers as a priority area for national development, which should have always been the case under state guidance.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the main objective of these legislative reforms? The primary goal is to strengthen and boost the railway industry in Mexico for both passenger and freight transport, recognizing it as a strategic and priority sector for national development.
- What is the newly established Agency of Railways and Integrated Public Transport? It is a decentralized public body under the Secretaría de Infraestructura, Comunicaciones y Transportes, responsible for coordinating railway projects, regulating the sector, and ensuring service safety and efficiency.
- How will these reforms impact mobility in Mexico? The reforms aim to improve mobility by offering efficient, accessible, safe, and sustainable passenger transportation connecting various federal entities, generating employment, and promoting regional economic development.
