Tbilisi may restore public transport after COVID-19 in June
Tbilisi Mayor said that rumors that public transport may be suspended until July 15 is false information. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Tweet 
Share
Public transport may be restored in the Georgian capital city of Tbilisi in June, announced Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze today.
Kaladze said that rumors that public transport may be suspended until July 15 is false information.
Today a meeting of the coordination council was held, where I personally raised the issue of public transport, as there is a great demand in the society. We are waiting for instructions”, Kaladze said.
Kaladze added that he is well aware of the current epidemiological situation and the need for caution.
But when the decision is made, the City Hall is absolutely ready to provide public transport service to the population”, Kaladze said.
Tbilisi Metro that served 350, 000 passengers every day is closed from March 31.
From the same day 564 buses, which served 400,000 passengers daily, are stopped.
Starting March 18 mini-buses, which served about 360,000 passengers in a day, has also stopped.
Tbilisi City Hall will allocate additional buses for busy routes in Tbilisi as mini buses, so-called marshrutkas, have been temporarily banned from serving passengers starting today to prevent the further spread of COVID-19, Georgian Health Minister Ekaterine Tikaradze stated earlier today.
Several new restrictions have been placed on public transport in Tbilisi to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. Starting tomorrow, entrance onto buses will be available from the back door only, as the passenger cabin and driver’s area will be separated to keep drivers safe from coronavirus.
Starting tomorrow mini-buses, so-called ‘marshrutkas’, will not serve passengers in Tbilisi and sport and spa venues will be closed to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, as the country has had 34 confirmed cases of the respiratory infection since the end of February. Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia stated earlier today that public transport - busses and metro - will continue to work in a regular mode and will be disinfected on a daily basis.
Some streets in Tbilisi were sanitised last night to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus and ensure the safety of citizens, says Tbilisi City Hall. The streets which were sanitised last night were Pekini Avenue, Kostava street and the central streets in Varketili.
Georgian doctors have used plasma treatment to help an 83-year-old COVID-19 patient in nearly terminal condition. "Now she feels much better,” head of Tbilisi Hospital of Infectious Diseases Tenngiz Tsertsvadze has stated. He said that it is the second case in which plasma treatment has worked with critical patients. "One individual has been cured with the help of plasma treatment. We are waiting for positive results in terms of the 83-year-old patient as well,” Tsertsvadze stated.
Restaurants, shopping malls and public transport will soon resume work in Georgia, announces the Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia. He said that the spread of the coronavirus is under control in Georgia and now is the time to strengthen the economy. Starting June 1 all types of produce markets, stores, shopping malls, restaurants with outdoor seating areas will reopen.
Tbilisi City Hall will allocate slightly more than $1 million to reconstruct metro station Gotsiridze, announced Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze earlier today.