Arguments against train route through Purisima are presented

Residents of southern Purisima del Rincon presented their reasons for opposing the proposed route of the Irapuato-Guadalajara passenger train through municipal territory.

Mayor Roberto Garcia Urbano proposed reviewing technical alternatives north of the city, where railway infrastructure is already present

Purisima del Rincon/Gto News

In response to concerns raised by the rural sector over what they termed a lack of information regarding the draft plan for the Irapuato-Guadalajara train route through Purisima del Rincon, a work meeting was held by agricultural producers and representatives from all three levels of Government. During the session, officials formally agreed to review a proposed modification.

Members of the agricultural and livestock sectors expressed distrust and uncertainty due to the lack of precise details about the project’s future impact.

The meeting was attended by federal authorities represented by Pavel Lopez Medina from the Verification, Safety, and Registry Unit of the Passenger and Integrated Public Transportation Agency (ATTRAPI); Arturo Navarro, representative of the Guanajuato State Secretary of Government; and municipal authorities led by Municipal President Roberto Garcia Urbano, alongside representatives from 16 communities and neighborhoods at risk of being affected.

During the work session, agricultural producers expressed absolute rejection of the proposed route through the southern part of the municipality. They warned that executing the project under these conditions would divide their communities, cause irreversible damage to their main source of livelihood, and fragment the territory of Purisima del Rincon.

The key arguments raised by farmers and livestock producers in southern Purisima del Rincon include:

• Direct impact on 2,300 hectares (1,100 irrigated, 600 rain-fed, and 600 pastureland) across 16 ejidos and communities near the municipal seat, with indirect effects on an additional 6,200 agricultural hectares in the región
• Loss of 15 farming homes and 6 storage warehouses

• Destruction of 9 agricultural wells and their storage ponds, over 24 kilometers of irrigation hydraulic infrastructure, 27 kilometers of electrical power lines, 50 kilometers of farm-to-market roads and trails, and 30 kilometers of drainage channels
• Threat to 65% of the municipality’s cultivated lands
• Loss of 20 watering holes, increased costs for raising 2,000 head of cattle, and direct damage to local flora, fauna, and feeder streams supplying reservoirs such as Presa Vieja and Santa Efigenia in Jalpa de Canovas

Given this scenario, Mayor Roberto Garcia Urbano proposed formally reviewing the draft project to consider shifting the alignment toward the north of the municipality.

The northern area, said Garcia Urbano, has no active farmland and already features an existing railway line, which would prevent the division of homes, disruption of the local hydrological system, and destruction of Purisima del Rincon’s agricultural core.

This proposal supports data previously presented by Planning Director Beatriz Ponce Marquez, who noted that over 35,000 residents live in the southern area across 79 localities, underscoring the need to mitigate social impact.

Arturo Navarro, representing the State Secretary of Government, proposed including the Municipal Planning Institute (IMPLAN), the Guanajuato State Planning Institute (IPLANEG), the Secretary of Public Works, and the Secretary of Agriculture in upcoming work meetings.

Garcia Urbano added that the municipality is making cadastral data, records of installed hydraulic infrastructure, and relevant technical and social studies available to federal officials.

Finally, Federal Government representatives emphasized that current plans are strictly preliminary studies and that the goal is not displacement, but ensuring social justice.

More Information:

• https://purisimadelrincon.gob.mx
• #PurísimaDelRincón
• #TrasciendePorSuGente

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