AN auction for a 30-year concession to operate São Paulo Metropolitan Trains Company (CPTM) suburban Line 8 Diamond (Júlio Prestes – Amador Bueno) and Line 9 Emerald (Osasco – Grajaú) will be held on April 20, the São Paulo secretary of metropolitan transport, Mr Alexandre Baldy, has announced via social media.  

“After authorisation by the São Paulo State Court of Auditors (TCE-SP), we will continue with this concession, which has investments of more than Reais 3.2bn ($US 566.3m) and will improve the quality of life of workers who use these lines [to travel] from home to work,” Baldy says.

The competition was suspended on February 26 by the TCE-SP auditor-substitute counsellor, Ms Silvia Monteiro, but was allowed to proceed following a decision from the full court on March 17.  

The auction is expected to attract major players such as Acciona, Spain, as well as Brazilian groups CCR and Pátria, and a partnership between bus operator Viação Itapemirim and Odebrecht. The Comporte and CS groups are also expected to participate in the auction.  

The notice for the concession was published on December 1 2020. The lines carried more than one million passengers per day before the Covid-19 pandemic.  

The fleet to operate the contract will partially be made available by CPTM, with the concessionaire required to purchase 34 new trains and remobilise two trains to operate the lines.  

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