Trains: In One Year, the State Doubled Subsidies to the San Martín Route
<p><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">This happened since the service is operated by a group of companies and the Ministry of Transportation. The General Audit Office detected unauthorized expenses, direct purchases, and balances in which income was omitted. Furthermore, the system of penalties, on an irregularity, cannot fine the provider.</span></p>
Since 2005 the San Martín Train is administered by the Unit Operations Management (UGOFE, for its acronym in Spanish), a corporation formed by Metrovías, Ferrovias, and TBA companies that work under the aegis of the Secretary of Transportation, the Federal Government gave twice as much money per kilometer of trains, compared to the 2000-2004 period, according to a report by the Auditor General's Office.
The initial assessment of the UGOFE says the state has transferred $ 49,782,684 in respect of exploitation. Of that total, 6% corresponds to the remuneration received by companies providing the service. In addition, the Ministry of Transport turned $ 57,721,354 from the sale of tickets. Relating these figures to the path of the train, it follows that each kilometer costs $20.68 and $22.82 respectively. Between 2000 and 2004, a thousand meters was worth $11.01 and $7.42.
"As for the execution of funds, rules of good and sound administration was verified," says the AGN, and details that the UGOFE spent funds without authorization from the Ministry of Transport that were "expressly excluded from the budgets approved" and that "contracts were signed without the use of recommended prices.” The watchdog said that the UGOFE opted to rent rather than buy goods, "when circumstances indicate that the latter would have been advisable."
According to the AGN, the accountabilities of the UGOFE omitted anticipated revenue for recovery and maintenance works, and showed the amounts from the sale of tickets separate from operating revenues: "Besides inadequate, this does not answer to the agreed and is an obstacle to the control function of the competent bodies" continues the study.
Not only did the UGOFE present irregularities in its first year of work. The Ministry of Transport was required to enact a system of penalties against any breach of the undertakings, and it did not. Dependence only demanded the Temporary Service Delivery Plan to be subject to the availability of rolling stock, the infrastructure and the collection of the stipulated income. This made it impossible to fine the UGOFE because any failure would be attributable to transportation service and not the companies.
Moreover, the National Commission for Transport Regulation (CNRT, for its acronym in Spanish) took charge of the technical analysis of the budgets of the UGOFE. On these studies, the AGN said "they do not offer guarantees of a correct judgment" because in addition to intervene outside the established time, "the consent of higher prices was detected and certified as true by its dependencies and implementing marketing factors that reach almost double the cost of which adequate support is not provided."
Another irregularity found by the Watchdog was the installation of a "major clandestine settlement" on the side tracks between stations Chacarita and Villa del Parque that "represent a strong commitment to public safety and operational dimension and the proximity to the train area", completed the AGN.