TWO consortia have submitted proposals for construction of the Guarulhos airport rail link in São Paulo.
CPTM's Planning & Management Co-ordinator Renato Viegas confirmed that two bids of 'a high standard' had been submitted by the Novo Metropole and Expresso Guarulhos groups.
CPTM will now study the two submissions before drafting tenders for the project. The tenders are likely to be called later this year, with construction expected to begin in 2008. Viegas anticipates services to begin by 2010.
Novo Metropole is made up of four local firms from São Paulo state: consultancy Assmann Consultoria architects Valente Arquitetos Enescil Engenharia e Projetos and Uete Enegenharia. The Expresso Guarulhos group comprises Brazilian engineering groups Encalço Construções and Engevix Engenharia the Italian firm Guella and CAF.
The project is to be financed by the state government and Infraero, the national airport authority, under a PPP model. The proposed line will link both the Guarulhos airport and the nearby city to the centre of São Paulo via a connection to an existing suburban railway. Express services from the airport will cover the 75 km in around 20 min.
