Overview
- The consultation process began Monday, July 13, with the first territorial forum at the Instituto Tecnológico de Mérida proceeding after a brief power outage that was resolved with an emergency generator.
- Officials say the forums will produce community-driven projects on potable water supply, a metropolitan roadway network, and public security to be evaluated for incorporation into the State Development Plan 2024–2030.
- Organizers set five territorial forums plus a metropolitan forum running through July 20, with 16 thematic worktables, a meeting with mayors of neighboring municipalities, door-to-door brigades and an online platform to collect proposals.
- Government presentations stressed the urgency caused by rapid metropolitan growth and aging systems, noting the metro area grew about 25–26% from 2010–2020, the potable network is 50–60 years old, only roughly 24% of residents have sanitary drainage, and the vehicle fleet rose about 69% in the last decade.
- Authorities say they already hold diagnostics and draft projects but chose public consultation first so citizen input can shape priorities before plans go to the state Congress, with officials highlighting pluvial infrastructure as a near-term priority because of stronger rains linked to El Niño.