Project description
and objectives:
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Georgian Railway LLC, the Georgian state-owned railway company, is seeking finance from the EBRD to develop a new railway route bypassing the central area of the city of Tbilisi.
Tbilisi stretches over about 30 kilometres along both sides of the Kura river. There are high hills on both sides of the gorge, with only narrow strips of useable land. The railway currently runs along the northern slope, about 1-2 kilometres from the river.
Current traffic is substantially transit oil traffic from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to ports on the Black Sea. This is a hazardous good which should not be transported through such a densely populated area. The current rail footprint in the centre of the city also includes rail terminals and yards, many of which are now either obsolete or derelict. The railway also acts as a barrier to development on the northern bank.
The project includes the construction of a new line to the north of Tbilisi, as well as upgrades to existing infrastructure to connect the new line to the existing Baku – Poti line. The project will entail the restructuring of railway structures in the Tbilisi urban area, including
- dismantling of the present main railway line between Didube in the north and Navtlughi in the south (ca. 10 km),
- abandonment of Tbilisi Central Station and conversion of stations Didube and Navtlughi into terminal stations. Navtlughi station will serve passengers travelling to the east, and Didube those going to the west of Tbilisi.
The project will improve the efficiency and safety of rail operations within the city of Tbilisi and enable relocation and consolidation of the existing rail facilities from the city centre, thus allowing the redevelopment of freed up land in the centre of Tbilisi in accordance with the city master plan. The project is supported by the municipality, which is now keen to see the land used by these rail facilities redeveloped as part of a new city master plan, and by the Georgian government.
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Full EIA availability:
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Full EIA documentation is available locally at:
EBRD's Business Information Centre in London
Full ESIA documentation is available in Georgia at:
- Georgian Railway LLC – 15, Queen Tamar Avenue, Tbilisi, Georgia
- EBRD Resident Office - Marjanishvili street, (Green Building, IV - V floor) Tbilisi, Georgia
Full ESIA documentation is available electronically in English at:
http://www.railway.ge/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=47&Itemid=120&lang=en
Full ESIA documentation is available electronically in Georgian at:
http://www.railway.ge/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=47&Itemid=120&lang=ka
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