**Tijuana’s Forensic Cemetery Remains Incomplete**
The construction of the forensic cemetery in Tijuana has now surpassed its original completion timeline by eight months. Initially set to be finalized in April 2024, the project is still unfinished, with no confirmed date for operations to commence.
The Secretariat of Infrastructure, Urban Development, and Territorial Reorganization (Sidurt) had aimed to complete the cemetery in April 2024, but unexpected rains delayed progress. These delays shifted the expected completion first to the end of April, then to June, and finally into August when the first section — including a dignified delivery room, an osteotheque with 2,560 spaces, and 1,280 niches — was handed over. The original projection was for 2,212 niches.
Additional delays are caused by pending tasks such as electricity installation by the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), sidewalk installations around the niches, perimeter fencing, access improvements, and constructing both a parking lot and a wastewater pit. These final steps require an additional five million pesos on top of the 14 million already spent, further postponing the forensic center’s opening.
César Raúl González Vaca, director of the State Forensic Service (Semefo), highlighted the challenges these delays pose. “We cannot begin operations without electricity, which is completely contingent upon the CFE… This issue mirrors a previous experience in Mexicali, where construction completion preceded utility installation by two months,” he explained.
The director underscored the urgent need for the forensic cemetery, which is essential for dignified storage and easier identification of unclaimed bodies, thereby eliminating burdensome exhumation costs, which sometimes exceed 100,000 pesos.
Located in the Valle Redondo neighborhood, the cemetery construction was a joint effort by Fatpad Proyectos S.A. de C.V., responsible for the earthworks, at a cost of 1,194,734.23 pesos, and Grupo de Urbanismo y Ordenación del Territorio S.A. de C.V., which built the mausoleum for 13,398,954.34 pesos.
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**Secondary Article: Forensic Centers in Mexico Face Infrastructural Challenges**
Forensic centers across Mexico continue to face significant infrastructural and operational challenges, impacting their ability to handle cases efficiently. Many centers are overburdened, struggling with insufficient storage space and outdated facilities. In cities like Tijuana, delayed construction projects exacerbate these issues, leaving unclaimed bodies in limbo.
Critics point out that these challenges are further complicated by bureaucratic inefficiencies and budget constraints, delaying crucial projects necessary to support the judicial system. Authorities acknowledge the pressures faced by forensic services, citing ongoing efforts to address these issues by streamlining project timelines and securing additional funding.
Meanwhile, families of the missing are left in uncertainty, often relying on forensic services for closure. The completion and operation of upgraded facilities across the country remain pivotal to improving case handling and resolution times. As the forensic centers strive to upgrade their capabilities, the collaboration between governmental bodies like the CFE and infrastructure ministries becomes even more crucial in mitigating delays and achieving operational readiness.