'Comuna 13' Slum in Medellin, Colombia, Gets £4m Outdoor Escalators (Pictures) (Video)

WATCH: Huge Outdoor Escalator Unveiled In Colombian Slum

Until recently, the "Comuna 13" slum in Medellin, Colombia, was best known for gang violence and the 35-minute trek up a hillside to get home.

Now, it's in the news for something far more positive: several brand new outdoor escalators that have been unveiled for use by the general public, for free, cutting down locals' commute time into town from 36 minutes to just six.

This being summer down in Colombia, the weather protection hasn't been required just yet, but officials behind the urban regeneration project promise they'll be installed before the rain comes in.

The ingenious idea has been visited by Brazilian town planners to see whether something similar could be built back in Rio De Janeiro's famous favelas, but no firm plans have been made just yet.

The $6.7m (£4.2m) project stretches 1,260 feet - the equivalent of a 28-storey building - and will serve 12,000 inhabitants - working out at a £350 expenditure per person. Not bad for a council project, eh?

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