en.Wedoany.com Reported - Tbilisi Mayor Kaladze announced that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched a tender for a feasibility study on the urban railway project in Georgia's capital, Tbilisi, seeking to select an international consulting firm to conduct technical and economic assessments to determine the project construction plan, economic viability, and investment scale. The deadline for expression of interest is July 13.

This feasibility study will focus on utilizing Georgia's existing railway infrastructure to build a high-frequency suburban railway system (also known as "urban trains"), conducting technical and economic evaluations of passenger rail schemes connecting Tbilisi to Mtskheta, Lilo, Tbilisi International Airport, Rustavi, and the eastern regions. If necessary, alternative options such as new railway sections or bypass routes will be studied simultaneously.

The consulting service budget is approximately $393,000, with $333,000 allocated for consulting and related expenses, and an additional $60,000 reserved as project contingency funds. The consulting firm must also assess the project's environmental, social, and financial impacts to provide a basis for determining the optimal construction plan. Upon completion of the study, the consulting firm will develop a project implementation roadmap, outlining subsequent construction steps, and must forecast passenger demand over the next 10 to 30 years, evaluate the potential for residents to shift from private cars to rail travel, and propose recommendations on station layout, rolling stock configuration, depot location, and fare system.

The project is jointly promoted by the Tbilisi City Government and Georgian Railway Company, forming part of the "Tbilisi Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan," with a focus on leveraging existing railway infrastructure to enhance public transport capacity in the capital's metropolitan area. The concept of building an urban railway (elevated metro) in Tbilisi was first proposed in 2018 but subsequently stalled. At that time, the plan was to be implemented in phases: the first phase connecting Samgori, Lilo, and Tbilisi International Airport, and the second phase extending the railway to Rustavi.