Now official: Airports will not be ready for the World Cup

Reality today... and in 2014... and in 2016...

The renown (governmental) institute IPEA has now confirmed what most realists have known for a while: The airports will not be ready for the World Cup in 2014. Notable exemptions are Curitiba and Tom Jobim in Rio.

While the Minister for Civil Aviation (a brand new ministry) Wagner Bittencourt still claims that the timeplan is "adequate", he seems to be in denial, ignoring the IPEA data.

Experts have long advocated the privatisation of the airports to ensure that infrastructure grows ahead of (or at least with) deman - but the government remains stubborn that airports remain a national interest and thus must be state operated. Now it is too late...

Of the 13 airports under construction and modernisation, 9 will not be ready by 2014... among these the unimportant Sampa Guarulhos, Salvador and Brasília. And what is worse, these will not be ready for the 2016 olympics (Only Porto Alegre and Belo Horizonte will be) - so do not plan any extensive travel outside of sporting events in 2014 or 2016.

This blog, as one of many sources, has repeatedly highlighted that there is a huge risk of the aiports, most specifically Guarulhos not being ready for the World Cup 2014, nor the Olympics in 2016. And this is not only based on other news sources or what I hear and read. I fly in and out of Guarulhos at least once a month and just recently signs have gone up announcing the modernisation and expansion of the security area and passport controls... Unfortunately, as in many cases, it will take a long time until something starts happening - but the renderings on the posters look nice.

Oh, and to add to the troubles, the Itaquera Stadium in Sampa, which apparently should host matches during the World Cup (if they ever get construction started), will not be ready for the Confederations Cup in 2013.

And I will not even get started on any bullet train discussion - this is just sad.

Bullet Train Delayed

High-Speed Train Route Proposal (From Wolters Kluwer)

A very typically Brazilian story - the bullet train Brazil wanted to partially build in time for the Olympics in 2016, and be completely finished by 2017 (see the entry from Wolters Kluwer above), has been delayed.

The 20bn USD project was supposed to have all bids in by Nov 20 and the decision by Dec 16 has now been postponed to April 29 to allow "all interested companies to participate". Also, according to the auctioning body, this delay will not delay construction... really? So they will just work 6 months faster?

I do not want to sound negative, but

a) The project will never be finished on time, Brazil has a great history of announcing and then not delivering - especially this bullet train has been a company fantasy for decades (just like the maglev in Germany)

b) The project will cost a fortune - 20bn will never be enough

c) The route will run a completely different route

If Brazil is lucky, the project will be completed by the 2020 Expo... for which a site also still has to be found.

Invest in Infrastructure

Ok, it's more an advertisement than news, and it is German, but the main two points are:

1. Invest in Infrastructure in Brazil

2. The government in Brasilia has noticed this too - there will be a World Cup and Olympics... or so they hope.

But read my lips: There will be no bullet train by 2014 and none by 2016 between SP and Rio... the bullet train is the oldest promise of wanting to be the country of the future - I had heard it when I still lived here in the early 90s...

Read more here.