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Specialists oppose a cableway on Rose Revolution Square

By Tatia Megeneishvili
Friday, November 14
Construction of a new cableway that would connect Rose Revolution Square to Mtatsminda Park has been launched. However, the process might be delayed, as the issue is strongly being opposed because of its location.

Tbilisi Mayor Davit Narmania held a meeting concerning the issue with Poet Davit Maghraze, Director Eldar Shengelaia and Writer Lasha Tabukashvili on November 12. The people provided the official with “professional» view over the construction.

They are demanding the suspension the construction process and suggest that they find an alternative site for the cableway. They believe that Rose Revolution Square is not a suitable place for it.

The petition spread by civil society and architects read that the construction “not only damages the aesthetics of the central street, but will also cause traffic jams in the spots where the cableway pillars will be erected.

The architects offer an alternative option-a building on Rustaveli Avenue, where the cableway functioned during the soviet period.

“Even though the building is on the list of cultural heritage, the Mayor’s Office can use it as a station for the cableway, we believe that the solution will be more reasonable,” they stated.

After the meeting, Narmania stated that he was interested in the opinions of professionals.

“However, time is needed to study the details and to make a final decision. We do not know currently whether the suggested building can still be useful or not. We require the conclusion of experts,” stated Narmania.

The project started during the previous government. The project’s budget is 7 million GEL. The final decision over the issue will be announced in three months.

There were six cableways in Tbilisi during the Soviet time. Most of them stopped operating in the 1990s.