One of the main works announced by the mayor Rafael López Aliaga It is already generating discontent because, although it would achieve the Metropolitan interconnection with the subway linecould also aggravate the infernal traffic of Lima. And it is that by the new express route Grau would no longer pass the units of regular public transport companies.
According to the plans of the Burgomaster, the renewed bypass of Grau Avenue will become A 2.5 kilometers exclusive corridor For the Metropolitan buses, which will arrive at a transfer station located at the crossroads of Grau and Nicolás Ayllón avenues, a few meters from the Grau Station of Line 1.
The idea of the project, whose technical file is still being elaboratedis that the new express route Grau has four central stations for the Metropolitan, two of which will be connected to the bridges of the AV. Abancay and AV. Nicolás de Piérola. These two points will be the only entrances and exits to the ‘Zanjón’, since they will remove the stairs and the whereabouts located today on the right margins and that are used by public transport passengers, both round and back.
Carriers against
There lies the problem. “You can’t undress a saint to dress another”, The president of the National Transport Integration Association (Anitra), Martín Valeriano, claimed, who was against not allowing the cusers and buses of traditional companies to continue circulating through the new express route Grau.
The president of the Urban Transportation Coordinator of Lima y Callao, Héctor Vargas, also opposed that measure because he has not been agreed with them and “because a monopoly benefits.”
“It is thinking of favoring the Metropolitan, to the detriment of the more than 50 companies that circulate on the Express Grau route. In addition, how are they going to do the Users of Chosica, Santa Anita, Ate, El Agustino, San Luis and La Victoria What are low on Abancay and Nicolás de Piérola avenues to reach the center of Lima? They do not use metropolitan, ”he questioned.
The leader added that they will raise legal measures because they cannot allow changes of rules through irregularities. “The Metropolitan concession route is from Chorrillos to Independence And it does not include the express route Grau because this is from the green corridor. Not because a mayor, like López Aliaga, comes a project of the morning, everything should be changed without technical reasons. We hope that the Urban Transport Authority (ATU) feels with us and explain what solutions there will be, ”he said.
In that same position, the director of the NGO Luz Ambar, Luis Quispe Candia, recommended that, for the moment, the traditional public transport units are allowed to continue circulating through the new express route Grau and that they have separate stops to the new stations of the Metropolitan. “We still can’t take them out because we will move traffic to other areas. That can be in the future, ”he said.
ATU response
Consulted by The Republicthe president of the ATU, David Hernández, explained that the condition to operate on the new express route Grau could be that regular public transport companies have units with left door, Like those of the Metropolitanto be able to use the new central stations. However, he acknowledged that not all of them comply.
“Some operators tell us that they pass us up (from the bypass) where there is terrible traffic, but we will open the enclosures for the works of Line 2 so that there are no inconveniences in the avenues of July 28, Bausate and Meza; In addition, companies will start changing large buses With the new five -year authorizations we are delivering, ”he replied.
At the moment, the works of the new express route have just begun and hope they are ready at the end of 2025 or the beginning of 2026.
The former president of the ATU, José Aguilar, said that, as happened with the northern expansion of the Metropolitan, the transport authority must approve the finished works in order to receive the new infrastructure.
Metropolitan seeks to expand its route to line 1.
