Deferred Catastrophe: Tbilisi is Cracking at the Seams

The student housing complex in Bagebi consists of two 15-story high-rise buildings. Each floor has a varying number of apartments, ranging from 16 to 24. Some residents have annexed parts of the shared stairwells to expand their living space or have built additional structures—there are no building regulations in place here. On certain floors, essential utilities such as water or gas may be completely absent.

Many floors lack electricity and doors, and residents themselves warn that the rooftop should only be accessed with extreme caution—every step must be carefully tested.

Nika, a displaced person from Abkhazia, has been living here for 15 years. According to him, the situation in neighboring buildings is even worse. In his own building, he and other residents do their best to maintain some order and at least partially offset the gradual decay.

On the stairwells, one can often spot makeshift notices—announcing, for example, the opening of a small shop on one of the floors or the distribution of bread in a particular apartment. According to Nika, the residents try to stick together and support one another as best they can.

A similar tragedy occurred on April 13 in a dilapidated residential building in the Avchala district, where a child died after falling into an elevator shaft. The 9-story building, known locally as the “Titanic,” suffered foundational damage from groundwater years ago, causing part of the structure to sink and an entrance to collapse. Residents say they have been pleading with the city hall for help for years.