The Austrian company ILF Consulting Engineers Austria GmbH, which was responsible for the feasibility study of the Samgori-Lilo-Airport Above Ground Metro Project, completed the works.
Tbilisi City Hall has not yet seen the conclusion of the company. Vice-Mayor Irakli Khmaladze says that the City Hall must decide if it worth to fund the project, which cost is 150 million USD.
If the City Hall finds that construction of the underground subway is not worthwhile, it turns out that the sum from the budget has been spent in vain. The point is that the City Hall has paid a total of 13 million GEL for the purchase of the feasibility study of the Samgori-Lilo-Airport Above Ground Metro Project.
"Our contractor company ILF has submitted a feasibility study to Tbilisi Transport Company. We have not yet considered this conclusion. As soon as, we review and make the appropriate decision, the public will know. This decision will be based on both technical and economic factors. This is one of the most expensive projects that cost more than 150 million USD, its economic part is quite significant, it must include enough efficiency, "- Irakli Khmaladze said.
To remind, Tbilisi underground project is critically evaluated by the Urban Laboratory. According to the head of the company Giorgi Babunashvili, the project will not be profitable due to the lack of passenger traffic, thus it is not justified to invest such amount of money. Babunashvili also sees gaps in the bidding process, which was simultaneously announced on feasibility study as well as on the project. The Austrian company ALF has been announced as the winner of the tender. According to him, the company that conducts the feasibility study cannot be objective because designing stage depends on it.
