New CNG buses running on liquid gas will be introduced in Tbilisi from 2016
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Tuesday, December 15
The Mayor of Tbilisi, Davit Narmania, has stated that 150 new,CNG busses, running on gas rather than fuel, will be introduced in Georgia’s capital from the next year.
Speaking about the topic, local official emphasised that negotiations have already been completed with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the institution allocated EURO 30 million Euro for purchasing the new vehicles.
“We will soon announce a tender and specify prices,” Narmania added.
The Mayor stated that there were some other projects also planned to provide more eco-friendly transport in Tbilisi from 2016.
Narmania claimed that the local government was taking genuine steps to reduce the damage caused by emissions and help the green environment.
Meanwhile, Georgia’s green movements are permanently accusing the Mayor of failing to meet his pre-election promises, among them the protection and plantation of a million trees in the capital city.
In response, Narmania said that his government has already planted half a million trees in the capital and also revealed an online map providing information detailing the exact locations of the trees.
The Rustavi 2 TV channel has dedicated a TV story to rechecking the information, visited the sites and found out that trees had really been planted, but not in the quantity as claimed by the Mayor’s Office.
One of the residents even stated that the Mayor’s Office planted tens of trees near her flat, but after planting them, somebody dug them out in the course of the following night.
There are some speculations over the Tbilisi botanical garden as well. The former director of the garden, who was recently dismissed, says that some sections of the garden will be allocated for the Panorama Tbilisi Project by the Mayor’s Office.
The Panorama is a business project initiated by Georgia’s former Prime Minister and the founder of the Georgian Dream coalition, Bidzina Ivanishvili.
The green movements stress that the construction works in the oldest parts of Tbilisi that are envisaged for the Panorama will destroy a significant part of the area’s green environment.
