THE government of the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil has outlined plans to expand the Belo Horizonte Metro under an investment programme worth approximately $US 1.8bn.
The initiative builds on the 2022 concession awarded to Metrô BH, which is responsible for operating, maintaining and expanding the network under a 30-year contract. Since assuming control in 2023, the concessionaire has begun introducing 24 four-car trains built by CRRC Changchun and in February opened the 1.7km Novo Eldorado extension to Line 1, the first addition to the network in 20 years. The total length of Line 1 is now 29.7km with 20 stations.
According to the state government, the current phase of works focuses on the long-planned 10.5km Line 2, which will connect Nova Suíça with Barreiro, one of the region’s most densely populated areas, with seven stations. Construction is set to progress in phases through to the end of this decade.
The investment plan combines federal, state and private-sector funding, including resources provided by legal settlements and infrastructure funds, reflecting a hybrid financing model similar to other recent Brazilian urban rail concessions.
In parallel with Line 2, the government has confirmed a broader programme of upgrades to Line 1, including capacity enhancements, modernisation of existing infrastructure and the introduction of the new Chinese fleet to replace class 900 trains which date from the 1980s. The first train arrived in Brazil in January followed by another two on March 22. Two more are currently enroute from China with 10 trains expected to be in service by the end of the year.
Alstom won a contract in October 2023 to supply a new signalling system for automatic train operation (ATO) on lines 1 and 2, as well install 48 automatic train control (ATC) units on the CRRC fleet and construct a new operations control centre (OCC).
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