The Controversial Closure of the Aranjuez-Cuenca-Valencia Railway Line

• The regional government of Castilla-La Mancha and ADIF (Railway Infrastructure Administrator) face accusations of collusion and corruption regarding the closure of the Aranjuez-Cuenca-Valencia railway line.
• The closure strategy, known as "Plan XCuenca," has been criticized for excluding local mayors while serving private urban development interests.

Background and Motivations

• Following damage caused by the Filomena storm, ADIF neglected repairs and failed to invest in the line for years.
• The government of Castilla-La Mancha declined to use Next-Generation EU funds to modernize the line, which critics argue could have competed with high-speed alternatives.
• Business associations in Cuenca (CEOE) viewed the 22 hectares of land occupied by the railway tracks as a prime opportunity for provincial urban development.

The 'Plan XCuenca' Protocol

• The March 9, 2022, protocol justified the closure by focusing on a comprehensive urban transformation project for the province.
• The process was marked by the systematic exclusion of municipal mayors along the route, with only a select group of officials—including the Mayor of Cuenca, provincial council leaders, and business representatives—having access to the plans.
• Authorities defended this exclusion by claiming that only the capital city had an actionable land-use plan for the vacated rail property.

Legal and Political Implications

• Isabel Pardo de Vera, the former ADIF president and architect of Plan XCuenca, is currently indicted by the National Court on charges including embezzlement, bribery, influence peddling, prevarication, and membership in a criminal organization.
• Critics argue that the persistence of the Socialist Party (PSOE) in supporting this closure, despite the criminal charges against its primary architect, points to a deeper pattern of political collusion and disregard for public infrastructure.