Aleko Elisashvili: “The rehabilitation of the second exit of the Gldani metro was supposed to begin in 2024.”

Verdict: FactCheck concludes that Aleko Elisashvili’s statement is TRUE.

Kakhi Kaladze was mentioning the need for a second exit at the Akhmeteli Theatre Metro in October 2022. He stated by the end of 2023 that the design of the second exit would be completed by November 2024 and that rehabilitation work would begin. Yet, ten months past that deadline, not only has the project not started, but the design is still unfinished, according to the mayor himself. Mr Kaladze now says that the project for second exists at metro stations will be ready by early 2026 with rehabilitation to begin only afterward. Thus, the mayor’s promise has not been fulfilled and FactCheck concludes that Aleko Elisashvili’s statement is TRUE.

Analysis

A representative of the Lelo – Strong Georgia party, Aleko Elisashvili, spoke about the necessity of a second exit at the Gldani Metro, highlighting that rehabilitation of the exit was supposed to begin in 2024, according to Mayor Kakhi Kaladze’s promise: “Gldani is the largest district in Tbilisi, home to most people in the city and it is served by only one metro station. That station has just one exit and people struggle a lot with getting in and out – there is constant congestion. The problem could be solved very easily as a second tunnel for the Akhmeteli Metro has existed since Soviet times and is 90% complete. It only needs finishing work, utility installation and an escalator. A second exit would be a huge relief for people. After all, even Kaladze himself said: we know the problem Gldani residents face and the second exit will be ready starting November 2024. He said a tender would be announced, a contract signed and rehabilitation would begin. It is now August 2025 and there is no sign of rehabilitation at the site.”

Kakhi Kaladze had already commented on the need for a second exit at the Akhmeteli Theatre metro back in October 2022: “There was a second entrance-exit during the Communist period and we are working on it together with the Asian Development Bank. Although the adjacent territory had been privatised, the municipality will reclaim it, since this is strategically important.”

Mr Kaladze announced in December 2023 that rehabilitation of the second exit at Akhmeteli Metro would begin in November 2024: “Here was discomfort regarding access to the Akhmeteli Theatre metro station, which has now been resolved since we installed new, additional turnstiles and today entering the metro is no longer a problem, even during rush hour. As for the second longer-term project, we are working with international financial organisations on this. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is greatly assisting us. Studies have already begun in this direction. We should have cost estimates and project designs by November 2024. It if a five-stage study, two of which have already been completed and we will have the project ready by November in order to announce the tender for the actual construction work.”

Following Aleko Elisashvili’s aforementioned statement on 15 August, Kakha Kaladze addressed the issue of second exits at the Marjanishvili and the Akhmeteli Theatre metro stations during the 27 August sitting of Tbilisi’s government. He stated: “The construction of second exits at these metro stations is currently at the design stage which is being prepared based on a concept developed with the support of the Asian Development Bank. The design phase will be completed by early 2026 after which we will announce a tender for the start of construction work. I would like to thank the Asian Development Bank for its support and cooperation. Carrying out this type of work is important for us.

It is worth recalling that entering the Akhmeteli Theatre metro station was problematic due to passenger numbers during peak hours. Later, a project was implemented that resolved this issue. At the time it was also announced that building new entrances and exits would be an important step.”

Aleko Elisashvili responded again to Kakhi Kaladze’s statement, noting that the mayor of Tbilisi only remembered the second metro exits in the run-up to the elections: “A man who has been Tbilisi’s mayor for eight years, with just over a month left before the elections, is now saying he will announce a tender for the second exits at the Marjanishvili and the Akhmeteli metro stations. Where was he before? Didn’t he know? Was he dozing off? Sleeping?”

In summary, it can be said that Kakhi Kaladze did indeed promise that the second exit project for the Akhmeteli Metro would be ready by 2024 and that rehabilitation would begin. However, the mayor now states that the project will only be ready by 2026. Thus, Kakhi Kaladze’s promise has not been fulfilled and FactCheck concludes that Aleko Elisashvili’s statement is TRUE.