Bogota inaugurated half a line of the city’s mass transit system Transmilenio Saturday after a two-year delay that has been overshadowed by the biggest corruption scandal in the Colombian capital’s recent history.
The new line, that eventually should connect downtown Bogota with the international El Dorado airport over Calle 26, was opened between two stations and no method of charging passengers.
The remaining 12 stations are still under construction, but will be fully functional by September according to the local government.
Until the software necessary to charge passengers is ready, the public transport service will be free.
The inclusion of Calle 26 to Bogota’s Transmilenio network is the first result of the third phase of expansion of the bus service.
The opening of the line was delayed because of a complex embezzlement scheme of funds allocated for the mass transit system by government officials and involved private enterprises. The directors of construction company Grupo Nule have been convicted to prison sentences for their role in the scandal while former mayor Samuel Moreno is in jail awaiting trial.
