Living in Peru : your everyday companion

(LIP-ir) -- The Municipality of Lima is to award the concession of a tram in Peru's capital to a private company this year.

The concessionaire will begin the project with a $6 million investment that will result in the construction of a tram which is to join San Cristóbal Hill with La Muralla Park.

The decision to award this concession was announced by Flor de María Valladolid, the director of the Recovery Program for the Historic Center of Lima, who stated that the "Lima Tram" would give the city a new tourist attraction, such as in Santa Fe de Bogota, Santiago de Chile, Quito, Rio de Janeiro and other South American cities.

She affirmed that with the new tram, Lima would have the opportunity to offer its tourists the same comforts other South American countries offered their tourists.

The "Lima Tram" project includes the construction of a tram that will be 1.4 kilometers (4,593 feet) long and have cable cars that travel 18 kph (11 mph). There will be thirteen cable cars and each will have a capacity of eight passengers.

It was reported that an international bidding process for the 30-year concession is to be held this year and that the tram would then be built within 18 months.

Valladolid also stated that with the addition of a restaurant, a museum and other services, San Cristóbal Hill itself would also be improved.