The Panamanian government has issued an order to proceed with the construction of line 3 of the Panama Metro, this comes as much-needed good news for the residents of Panama, especially after the devastating effects the pandemic has had on the economy. The residents of Panama have been waiting for this project for a long time, it is expected that this project will have a positive impact on the economy as well as for its residents in general. this long-awaited project comes in the context of a devastating pandemic that has hurt the economy, it is with this project that the government hopes to start rebuilding its economy, the president has said that in the current circumstances the country finds itself in, state investments has become a vital factor in the plan for economic recovery, that includes grants for small and medium-sized companies, the attraction of foreign investment, as well as new infrastructure, including this project. The Line 3 of the metro will also help in alleviating a huge traffic problem, for the residents of the Panamá Oeste Province, who have to travel to the capital for work, this will be a more efficient and comfortable solution to their travel needs.

This project will cost around 2,844.1 million dollars and was endorsed on February 9 by the Comptroller General of the Republic of Panama, after reviewing more than 15 specific requirements such as the order to proceed, guarantee bonds, insurance policies, list of subcontractors, execution plan, as well as a study of the environmental impact, approved by the Ministry of the Environment (MiAmbiente). The construction of the project will be carried out by the HPH Joint Ventura consortium (Hyundai Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd).

The project will make use of a monorail system and is expected to serve around 160,000 passengers to start. It also includes a tunnel with an approximate length of around 5.3 kilometers divided into two sections. The construction is expected to take about 33 months.

Metro Line 3 will connect the province of Panama Oeste with Panama´s capital, reaching out to “Ciudad del Futuro” and connecting to Line 1 of the Metro at the Albrook station. It is expected to reduce the average travel time in rush hour, from 90 minutes to 45 minutes. there will be an implementation of other means of transport at each station, as well as parking spaces in at least three stations.

Hitachi, Ltd. (Hitachi), Hitachi Rail STS SpA (Hitachi Rail), and Mitsubishi Corporation signed an 883 million dollar contract with HPH Consortium, where Hitachi and Hitachi Rail will provide 28 six-car vehicles (168 cars), signaling systems, telecommunications systems, power systems, control center, platform doors and depot equipment for the project, while Mitsubishi Corporation will manage the project.

The long-awaited project of Line 3 of the Panama Metro will finally be a reality for its residents, in the context of the pandemic, it will bring much-needed economic relief, as well as a faster, modern, and more efficient way to travel.