The Uttar Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has announced a penalty of ₹1 lakh and a three-year jail term for incidents involving lift closures, breakdowns and other accidents. This decision is an attempt to address increasing incidents of lift accidents in the state.
Lift accidents have become increasingly frequent in high-rise apartments in Noida and Ghaziabad, bringing the issue to the forefront. Pointing out the frequency of such incidents, journalist Ayaskant Das explained on X (formerly Twitter) that the reason behind it was the lack of legislation in
UP to regulate and control the operations of lifts or elevators.
Four workers killed in Noida service lift collapse
One of the most recent and alarming incidents occurred at an under-construction site of Amrapali Builders in Greater Noida. On September 15, a service lift malfunctioned and collapsed, resulting in the deaths of four people and leaving five others in critical condition. The incident took place at the construction site of the Amrapali Dream Valley Society (Phase-2) in Techzone-4, Greater Noida.
The project, which aims to deliver approximately 9,000 flats, is managed by the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) India, which had contracted a construction firm to carry out the work.
In response to this event, the police began investigating and arrested nine individuals, including officials of NBCC, the construction company, and the lift company in connection with the incident.
The NBCC announced compensation of ₹20 lakh for the families of each deceased worker and pledged to cover the full medical expenses of the injured individuals. R Venkataramani, the Supreme Court-appointed court receiver of Amrapali projects, also offered ₹25 lakhs for the families of the deceased workers.
This harrowing incident has sparked a renewed sense of urgency for the enactment of lift safety laws in Uttar Pradesh. In the absence of such regulations, high-rise building residents and workers continue to be at risk.
Per a Hindustan Times report, Lokesh M, CEO of the
Noida Authority, recently wrote to state authorities, calling for the swift implementation of a lift law, similar to those in other states, to safeguard lift users in tall structures. While the draft law was prepared five years ago, it has been pending government approval since October 2021, despite ongoing discussions and amendments. The law aims to regulate lift installation, operation, maintenance, and accountability in the event of accidents.
