Hidalgo Metro station chandeliers cost 56,000 pesos each; official defends World Cup renovation bids

The cost of four ornate chandeliers installed at the Hidalgo Metro station in Mexico City has drawn attention, with Metro Director Adrián Rubalcava stating each unit cost 56,000 pesos. These fixtures were part of renovations undertaken in preparation for the World Cup.

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They had the cost of 56,000 pesos, which are the large ones and the ones for the stairwells; and the rest of the chandeliers or lamps are between three thousand and four thousand pesos depending on the model.

Rubalcava specified that the larger chandeliers, located in the stairwell areas, were the ones with the higher price tag. In contrast, other lamps and light fixtures installed at the same station ranged in price from 3,000 to 4,000 pesos, depending on the model. The station's green walls, also part of the upgrades, cost 5,600 pesos per square meter, a figure Rubalcava asserted was below market value.

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This makes the process completely transparent.

Addressing potential criticisms, Rubalcava defended the procurement process for the renovations. He assured that the work was carried out through open and public bidding, emphasizing the transparency of the procedures. He also noted that restricted bidding processes involved competing companies and that the Superior Audit Office of Mexico City is conducting an audit to clarify these processes. Rubalcava dismissed claims that the contracts were awarded to inexperienced or shell companies.

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Put aside completely the claims that these are companies that lack experience or are ghost companies as was mentioned in some media.