Curitiba demands removal of freight rails from urban area

A public hearing on the new 30‑year concession for the Malha Sul railway network was held in Curitiba, drawing more than 220 participants from political, business and civil‑society groups. Attendees urged the Agência Nacional de Transportes Terrestres (ANTT) to eliminate cargo‑train tracks from the city's urban zone and to construct eastern and western railway bypasses that would pull over 40 km of rails out of the city.

Curitiba currently has the highest national count of railway accidents, with ANTT data showing 433 incidents between 2005 and 2025, including 152 accidents from 2021‑2024 that caused more than 60 injuries and 27 deaths. Removing the tracks is presented as a way to reduce these collisions, improve traffic flow and free space for new roads, transit corridors, bike paths and parks. The ANTT public consultation remains open until 10 August, with further hearings scheduled in Porto Alegre and Florianópolis.