Metrofor, associated of ANPTrilhos and responsible for the operation of passenger rail transport systems in the State of Ceará in the Northeast of Brazil, has inaugurated the first part of the Light Rail in Fortaleza City, between the stations Borges de Melo and Parangaba, by the end of July. The section, which is 5 km long, is the first of three sections which makes the 13.5 km of the Light Rail, connecting Mucuripe to Parangaba.
The section has started its activities as assisted operation. According to Metrofor, the assisted operation will allow the final adjustments of the equipment, including avaluation of the tickets fee, and will also create conditions for the population to get used to the new service.
The section Borges de Melo to Parangaba (section 2) includes 4 stations and contemplates the neighbourhoods: Parangaba, Bairro de Fátima, Vila União, Itaoca and Montese. During the assisted operation there will used three train, one being a backup. Arriving at Parangaba station of the Light Rail, “the passenger will also have access to South Line of Metro and the urban bur terminal, both in Parangaba, making possible the combination of tickets” explained the president of Metrô de Fortaleza (Metrofor) and council member of ANPTrilhos Eduardo Hotz during the ceremony of inauguration.
The entire line of the Light Rail will go through 22 neighbourhoods of Fortaleza and shall attend 90 thousand passengers a day. It will be 12 km on ground ad 1.4 km in elevated sections. The complete work has around R$ 45 million in investments. The forecast is that the line will be concluded until the end of 2018.
