The governor of Rio de Janeiro, Cláudio Castro (PL), closed an agreement to reactivate the cable car located in Complexo do Alemão, in the northern part of the state capital. The mode of transport has been stopped for more than five years and, as shown by Estadão in April this year, it has stations that are completely abandoned, with depredated areas and rusting equipment.
Castro and government secretaries met in France with the company Poma, which implemented the transport system. According to a statement from the Guanabara Palace, the meeting marked the definition of the delivery of a technical proposal with a timetable and budget for the works — which will be done in December.
In September, company representatives visited Alemão to analyze conditions. The current situation of the cable car, inaugurated in 2011, has even ended the social function of the station buildings, previously used as a Family Clinic, libraries and sports facilities, for example.
This year’s report by Estadão — which was a finalist for the CNT Journalism Award — showed the impact of the strike not only on mobility itself, but also on income and demand for services in the complex’s favelas.
“We are going to return this important means of transport to the population of the communities in the complex. We are going to bring more dignity to residents and help in the economic development of the region, as the return of the cable car moves the local economy, generating jobs and income and even attracting tourists,” said Castro, in a note sent by the press office.
BRL 10 million to public coffers
While the French company will work on the transport system itself, the rehabilitation of the stations will be carried out by the Infrastructure and Works Secretariat with money from the auction of Cedae, the state’s water and sewage company. In this case, the interventions should last from ten to 12 months and cost R$ 10 million.
The Alemão Cable Car has 3.5 kilometers of cable and, when it worked, it transported an average of 10,000 people a day in its 152 gondolas. There are six stations, and the main one, Bonsucesso, is integrated with the SuperVia train system.
One of the symbols of that Rio that sought to reshape its image before major events, the mode of transport was made possible by the federal government’s Growth Acceleration Program (PAC) and inaugurated when the Pacifying Police Units (UPPs) began to establish themselves in the city . The governor of Rio de Janeiro was Sérgio Cabral (MDB), who has been in prison since 2016 on corruption charges.
The stoppage of the cable car started as something temporary, motivated by the need to bring a part from Europe. Afterwards, however, the crisis in the State and friction between concessionaires and the government caused the system to be completely abandoned.
Reference: CNN Brasil
