Wall works begins

United States Customs and Border Protection plans to start awarding contracts by mid-April for President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall with Mexico. The agency said yesterday it would request bids on or around March 6, and companies would have to submit ‘‘concept papers’’ to design and build prototypes by March 10. It gave no details on where the wall would be built first and how much distance would be covered initially. Republican leaders in Congress have said the wall will cost US$12 billion to US$15b. The Government Accountability Office estimates it would cost on average US$6.5 million a mile (1.6 kilometres) for a fence to keep out people who try to enter on foot, and US$1.8m a mile for vehicle barriers.