MEXICO CITY – Mexico City International Airport (AICM) generated poverty in the surrounding neighbourhoods, a situation which the capital’s government will seek to revert, stated mayor Miguel Ángel Mancera.
During the first session of the Economic and Social Counsel, the mayor pointed out that the land use change depends on city authorities, bringing with it the responsibility of creating a pole of development in an area in which 91 percent of inhabitants live in conditions of poverty, according to a study on the future of the airport.
“Mexico City has a very important opportunity to carry out this project well (…) 710 hectares are at stake, no rushed decisions can be made.”
Economic Development Secretary Salomón Chertorivski specified that of the 39 neighborhoods surrounding the airport only Moctezuma, Peñón de los Baños and Federal had economic activities linked to the aeronautical zone, while the rest had the same type of economy as other parts of the city, with lower incomes in average, gaining no benefits from the airport’s nearness but, on the contrary, lacking hospitals, universities and suffering from a lesser land value.
“The airport is surrounded by the most important gatherings of urban poverty: Gustavo A. Madero, Iztacalco, Venustiano Carranza and Netzahualcóyotl, amounting to over one million people in conditions of poverty”
In this context Mancera said that any new projects will have to guarantee mobility rights, housing and work. He also rejected the possibility that the current airport could continue to work, as studies showed the contrary.
The process has been under intense scrutiny and the city’s government have taken to social media to upadte citizens on its progress.
En esta Asamblea Gral del Consejo Económico se aborda el tema del futuro del terreno del #AICM #LaOpinióndelaCiudad pic.twitter.com/x421qiaYsP
— Gobierno CDMX (@GobCDMX) March 2, 2016
It was stressed that the dialogue on the issue would continue, emphasizing that despite the area being federal property it would be the local government who would decide what to do with it.
