Construction on a key remaining stretch of the Maya Train was halted after a federal appeals court granted a “definitive suspension” until the designated authorities confirm that the project complies with environmental regulations.
The civil organization Sélvame del Tren (Save me from the train) was the plaintiff in the case, which resulted in the court ordering the government to take action to preserve the environment and carry out inspections, verifications and conservation measures in the natural areas that the unfinished stretch of Section 5 crosses.
The ruling orders the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) to oversee and guarantee adherence to the court’s orders.
Section 5 of the 1,554-kilometer passenger rail line runs south from Cancún and is being extended from Playa del Carmen to Tulum, two of Mexico’s most popular tourist destinations.
This 65-kilometer section of the Maya Train has been a focus of environmentalists’ objections since construction began, as it involved drilling through underground rock formations and piercing a significant portion of the region’s delicate cave system with steel and concrete piles.
Activists who have denounced the project since its conception called Section 5 the most damaging to biodiversity, citing the loss of approximately 3.6 million trees. In 2024, they revealed that more than 120 caves — a critical part of the Maya Jungle’s aquifer system — had been damaged.
Last month, Sélvame del Tren published a video demonstrating that steel piles had corroded and the resulting structural damage allowed tons of concrete to leak into the caves.
The court’s ruling is not a complete surprise. Last year, the Environment Ministry (Semarnat) admitted that construction of the train had indeed caused environmental damage, citing Section 5 in particular. Semarnat confirmed that at least eight caverns and cenotes were significantly compromised to accommodate the train.
In a statement, Sélvame del Tren said the decision represents a step toward “the protection of our natural resources and guarantees that verification, inspection, conservation and safeguarding work will be carried out in response to the corresponding public complaints.”
Meanwhile, freight track construction continues
On Thursday, military engineer Ricardo Vallejo Suárez provided an update on the progress of the Maya Train freight service project, which could begin operations later this year.
Speaking at President Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning press briefing, Vallejo said the four multimodal cargo terminals are about 25% completed.
The works include the construction of more than 950 kilometers of new track to create a cargo circuit that will run through the Yucatán Peninsula.
This includes 101 kilometers of yard tracks in the freight complexes, plus 70 kilometers of new track to connect the city of Mérida with Progreso and the new industrial corridor from Poxilá to Mérida.
Additionally, a 7-kilometer trunk line will connect the Cancún passenger terminal with the new multimodal freight terminal.
Vallejo also said the commissioning of the double track in Sections 4 and 5 that run through Quintana Roo has been officially granted.
With reports from Wired and El Economista
