Planning Minister Nelson Barbosa said on Wednesday (Jun 10) that the construction of the Bi-oceanic Railway, which is to connect Brazil's Central-West and North to Peru, may be piecemeal. In the minister's view, the project is worth getting off the ground even if only the Brazilian stretch up to Porto Velho, in Rondônia state, is built—which is to facilitate the transportation of agricultural goods along the Madeira River (a tributary to the Amazonas River) and bring about infrastructure improvements for the transportation of grains.

The Bi-oceanic Railway may be built stage by stage, starting with the most commercially viable sections, Barbosa explained during a hearing at the Federal Senate.