The rehabilitation of Tbilisi's Varketili metro station has been extended once again, with a new completion deadline set for November 17, 2025, according to an updated contract published by the State Procurement Agency. The project, which includes extensive structural work and tunnel repairs, will now cost the city GEL 16.5 million, an increase of GEL 3.1 million from the previous budget.
The rehabilitation works are being carried out by Bada Construction LLC, which signed a simplified procurement agreement in 2023. According to the latest plans, the Varketili station will be fully closed for 45 days starting from July 12, 2025, during which time it will not serve passengers.
As Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze explained, the additional costs stem from in-depth technical studies that revealed the need for more extensive structural repairs. These included:
- Laboratory analysis of the concrete and reinforcement in the station’s reinforced concrete arch
- Geotechnical scanning of spaces behind the arch
- Inspection of cast iron fasteners in the escalator tunnel
- Based on these findings, a new rehabilitation plan was developed for the station’s reinforced concrete structures. It includes:
- Cleaning and repairing corroded or damaged ceiling surfaces
- Filling voids behind the arch with technical solutions
- Sealing temperature joints to prevent groundwater leakage
- Restoring the cast iron fastening systems in the inclined tunnel
A History of Delays and Failures
The Varketili metro rehabilitation has faced numerous challenges since its initial efforts:
- 2016–2017: The station was first renovated under then-Mayor Davit Narmania, with work completed in September 2017 at a cost of 350,000 GEL by LLC Kvarelmsheni.
- January 30, 2018: Just months after reopening, a portion of the suspended ceiling collapsed, prompting safety concerns. While the collapsed structure was not load-bearing, it led to a major reassessment of the project’s quality.
- 2022: A new contract was awarded to Mamison, but was terminated due to the company’s failure to fulfill contractual obligations.
- February 2023: A new simplified procurement contract worth 13.4 million GEL was signed with Bada Construction LLC. Additional modifications brought the total cost to 14.7 million GEL, and now, with the inclined tunnel rehabilitation added, the project totals 16.5 million GEL.
Originally, work was to be completed within 18 months, with the previous deadline set for September 22, 2024. The new extension pushes completion to November 17, 2025, nearly a decade after the first rehabilitation efforts began.
