The standard Soviet cableway consists of two stations, wagons and two sets of metal cable, a think and a thin one. The thick ones are firmly attached into the walls of the stations while the thinner ones are used to pull the wagons along them. The thinner cables move separately from each other and have a counterbalance weight at one end, fixed in the lower station that holds the stretch balance of both cables.

The thick core cable has been operating since the mid-1970s, the pulling ones need to be changed regularly, every five to eight years. The next switch, which requires about two days, is due to take place in spring 2017.

“After a few years in service, the pulling cables become loose, they need to be shortened. Specialized technicians from Tbilisi perform this activity,” notes Jaiani.

The 52-year-old recalls that a few years after the construction of the cable system, one of the main cables was found faulty and had to be removed. Workers had to stretch the metal roll from one point to the end, on the other side of the river, across the gorge, by their own hands and the process stopped the movement of all transports nearby. Three fully-loaded robust Kraz trucks pulled the thick wire from behind the upper station to put into place.