Mato Grosso BRT project in Cuiabá hit by legal action and contract extension

State deputy Lúdio Cabral (PT) announced he will file a lawsuit over repeated delays and alleged overpricing in the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) works linking Cuiabá and Várzea Grande. He said more than R$ 500 million has been contracted, with about R$ 400 million awarded without a public bidding process, and warned that station costs have more than doubled. Cabral criticised Governor Otaviano Pivetta, stating, “É meu dever como deputado fiscalizar o andamento da obra…”.

Meanwhile, the Mato Grosso state government signed a 150‑day amendment to the BRT construction contract, moving the expected completion of the first stretch to 18 November 2026 and extending the contract’s validity to 16 February 2027. The governor attributed the setbacks to problems with the contracted company and cited earlier legal and managerial difficulties, including the failed VLT project originally planned for the 2014 World Cup. The delays continue to affect residents of Cuiabá and Várzea Grande, who are waiting for an efficient public‑transport solution.