Metro extension 22% advanced

THE 2019 VISIT of Pope Francis to Panama, lobbied for by President Juan Carlos Varela and first Lady Lorena Castillo, has speeded up the construction timetable for Metro Line 2, but with no word yet on the increased cost.

The Metro Secretariat reports that the work, including the extension to Tocumen International Airport, is 22% advanced  The institution says that work is proceeding  on work fronts, including  the construction of 11 of the 16  new stations.

“The stations under  construction are: Cinquantenaire Villa Lucre, Cerro Viento, San Antonio, Pedregal, Don Bosco, Airport, Las Mananitas, Hospital del Este, Altos de Tocumen and New Tocumen” says a press release.

Work is also advancing  on the construction of structures that will support the new line.

Like Line One,the stations  will have facilities for the disabled, elevators, escalators and  fixed stairs.

Last month Metro board president, Roberto Roy, said that the visit of Pope Francisco will accelerate the construction of line 2 and its airport extension.

The Pope’s visit is linked to  World Youth Day, an event attended by between 500,000 and a million people, with critics claiming that already congested Panama will not be able to handle an influx of that size.

“With the  visit of Pope Francis to Panama in January 2019, Metro Line 2, has to be fully ready by  December 2018.” said Roy.

The project was originally scheduled for completion in April 2019.

“That requires additional resources, “said Roy, without specifically detail the cost of  accelerating  the project by four months.