After analyzing the situation of each of the three major stretches of the 1,5 km route planned to cross Bahia, the TCU decided to recommend that the Ministries of Transport and Planning assess the possibility of building only the final stretch of the project, 500 km, between Caetité and Ilhéus, on the coast of Bahia.
Such was the concern with the development that even the Porto Sul da Bahia project, designed to be the end point of the railroad, was left aside. The proposal is to analyze the possibility of connecting the route – which is 67% completed – to the current Port of Ilhéus, which is already in operation.
In its justification, the TCU points out that there are “unfavorable economic and financial viability indicators, which require the reassessment of Fiol's feasibility studies”. According to the court, “the situation is further aggravated by the fact that the new schedules presented are fictitious”.
The court of accounts asks the government to reassess the cost-benefit ratio of carrying out the central section of the network, from Barreiras to Caetité, which already has works in progress, and the initial section, between Figueirópolis (TO) and Barreiras, where nothing has been done until today. The evaluation is necessary, says the TCU, due to factors such as delay in the delivery of the work, drop in the price of iron ore, increase in interest rates and contingency of resources.
According to a report published yesterday by the Estado, the railroad, expected to be delivered in July 2013, saw its deadline extended by five years. The price of the work has already jumped from R$ 4,3 billion to R$ 6,5 billion.
Reckless Management. The reporting minister for the case, Augusto Sherman, determined that directors of state-owned Valec explain why the company paid in advance for services that, as it was already known, should not be performed at that time, such as the manufacture of sleepers. By May of this year, Valec had already paid for 89% of the sleepers in the first 500 km of Fiol, while only 10% of the rail grid assembly service had been carried out.
Through a note, Valec declared that it is already aware of the processes, although it has not yet been officially notified. “When this happens, the company will present its defense. In any case, Valec will comply with all determinations required by the Court of Auditors”, informed the state-owned company.
BRL 6,5 billion is the current cost forecast for the construction of Fiol, BRL 2,2 billion more than the projections made initially.
Source: The State of São Paulo
