Key facts
- Bogota's first metro line is scheduled to begin commercial operations in 2028.
- A March audit report indicated the metro project is delayed by 181 days.
- The Chinese consortium, Metro Línea 1, is responsible for the first line's construction.
- The consortium will appeal a 812 million peso penalty for delays in detailed designs.
- Bogota Mayor Carlos Fernando Galan is requesting an increase in workers at metro stations.
Bogota Mayor Carlos Fernando Galan has urged the Chinese-led consortium responsible for building the city's first metro line to deploy more workers, following a warning from the nation's top auditor about project delays. The auditor's March report indicated that the first line of the Bogotá metro is behind schedule by 181 days due to issues with network designs, network transfers, and viaduct works.
The Chinese consortium, Metro Línea 1, has stated it will appeal a penalty of 812 million pesos imposed by the district for delays in delivering detailed designs, arguing that certain project variables were not considered. Despite these design issues, the acting manager of the Bogotá Metro Company, Ricardo Cárdenas, assured that construction would not be affected and that delivery dates, scheduled for March 2028, would remain on track.
Metro de Bogotá CEO Leonidas Narváez outlined plans to speed up construction, including accelerating viaduct work, increasing the number of workers in areas where construction has not yet begun, and implementing longer shifts. He projected that by the second half of 2027, the entire viaduct would be completed with trains conducting tests, allowing for commercial operations to commence in 2028. Narváez also indicated that the delays are expected to be resolved by August or September. As of March 31, the project's progress stood at 32%.
Mayor Galan noted that resources for the works are received every six months, with approximately 540 billion pesos (US$138 million) expected in July for the first half of the year. He emphasized the need to monitor the works to ensure they adhere to the contract and stated that the project would be delivered by the end of 2027.