Are Mega Projects Like the Maya Train Really Just for the Wealthy? You Won’t Believe Who Gets Left Behind!

Mega projects in Quintana Roo, including the Maya Train, Tulum airport, and Nichupté Lagoon bridge, have been designed for the wealthy and not for the average worker, according to Isidro Santamaría, state leader of the CTM. While large investments in the area are celebrated for their potential to create jobs, Santamaría argues that these projects do not provide tangible benefits for workers.

The high cost of these projects makes them inaccessible for the average worker. "These projects may spark curiosity, but their high cost makes frequent use unfeasible for most workers. It's disappointing that such significant investment has not been directed towards more pressing needs such as security, education, healthcare, and infrastructure. These are the areas that the population needs most," stated Santamaría.

In many cases, these projects are not even necessary. Union negotiations and collective contracts have ensured that most companies provide transportation benefits. As a result, these large government projects are unlikely to be utilized by everyday workers.

Santamaría believes that the funds invested in these projects could have been better used to build hospitals in locations like Puerto Morelos, Lázaro Cárdenas, and Tulum, or for Social Security, which is paid for by workers yet many still do not have access to the service.

"Many workers have to travel to Benito Juárez, which is already insufficient. There should be Social Security hospitals in Puerto Morelos, Lázaro Cárdenas, and Tulum. We appreciate the consideration of these monumental works, but they were certainly not designed with workers in mind," he concluded.

The cost to travel on the Maya Train, between Cancún and Playa del Carmen, ranges from 160 pesos to 800 pesos. This does not include the cost of travel from the city center to the station, or the ticket from the Playa del Carmen station to its city center. In contrast, a van from the center of Cancún to Playa costs 40 pesos, while a first-class ADO charges between 85 pesos and 108 pesos.