In Tbilisi, businessman fined for unauthorized installation of safety railings in gorge

The Tbilisi Mayoralty has imposed a fine of 10,000 laris (about 4100 US dollars) on Tamaz Elizbarashvili for installing safety railings in the Vere Gorge, flooded by high water in 2015. The businessman has explained his initiative by the fact that the area represents a threat to people and the authorities have failed to take any safety measures. Officials from the Mayoralty state that Tamaz Elizbarashvili has installed the safety railings without permission.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that at night of June 14, 2015, Tbilisi was hit by heavy downpour, which caused a flooding. According to the official information, 19 people were killed, and other 457, including 119 children, were injured. In late June, the Georgian rescue teams and soldiers completed works on cleaning of a tunnel in the Vere River Gorge in Tbilisi, flooded by high water.

"After the disaster, we have repeatedly appealed to the Mayoralty with a request to restore the railing, since that created a threat for people. There was an incident when a man fell into the precipice. Here, the height of the rocks reaches three meters, and the man survived by miracle. My relatives rescued him. After that, I called the Mayoralty and told them that I would install the safety railings. I was visited by officials from the Service for Supervision and they imposed on me a fine in the amount of 10,000 laris," said Tamaz Elizbarashvili.

The city authorities have also obliged the businessman to dismantle the 16-meter protective structure, reports on November 4, the "Georgia Online" reports with reference to Mamuka Djakeli, the deputy chief of the Service for Supervision of the Tbilisi Mayoralty.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.