Lift and Escalator Act, 2024: Compliance lags in UP, 80% registrations from Noida

Government data shows that 12,600 consumer registrations have been completed so far, covering around 16,000 individual lifts

Nearly two years after Uttar Pradesh enacted the Lift and Escalator Act, 2024, compliance remains patchy, with more than 80% of registrations concentrated in Noida alone and much of the state, including Lucknow, lagging behind despite mandatory timelines.

The state government launched the portal (www.updeslift.org) in October 2024 for mandatory registration of public, private and government lifts following the enactment of the Act and its rules. (HT Archive)

Government data shows that 12,600 consumer registrations have been completed so far, covering around 16,000 individual lifts, since the government launched an online registration portal in October 2024. “More than 12,000 entities or individuals have already registered their existing lifts on our portal,” said GK Singh, director, electricity safety.

However, officials said Noida’s dense real estate market and stricter enforcement have contributed to higher compliance, while other districts remain largely outside the regulatory net.

“Of the total 12,600 lift registrations completed so far, over 80% are in Noida alone,” said Alok Mishra, nodal officer in the electricity safety directorate. “Lucknow may have fewer than 1,000 registrations.” He added that district administrations have a greater role to play in ensuring compliance.

Category-wise data shows housing societies leading with 8,370 registrations, followed by commercial buildings at 2,763. Individual private houses account for 318 registrations and industrial units just 102, indicating weak participation from key private sectors.

Government establishments form a small share. Central government buildings have registered 164 lifts, state government departments 175, and public sector undertakings 344. Excluding government buildings, completed applications stand at 11,926, underscoring that compliance is largely driven by non-government entities — primarily housing societies.

On the supply side, only 87 lift manufacturers and 98 annual maintenance contract (AMC) agencies have registered under the Act so fa, which is considered modest given the scale of vertical construction in urban Uttar Pradesh.

“With thousands of lifts estimated to be operational, the current figures suggest that implementation of the safety law is still at an early stage. Stronger enforcement and wider public outreach are needed, especially since lift accidents continue to be reported intermittently,” a senior energy department official said.

The state government launched the portal (www.updeslift.org) in October 2024 for mandatory registration of public, private and government lifts following the enactment of the Act and its rules.

Under the rules, lifts and escalators cannot be installed without registration. Existing lifts were required to be registered within six months of notification. Annual maintenance agencies must also register with the director of electrical safety.

The rules mandate installation of automatic rescue devices to ensure passenger safety during power outages or malfunctions. The registration fee is ₹5,000 per lift for public and private installations, renewable every five years. Manufacturers are required to pay ₹25,000 per lift for annual renewals. Public and private establishments must upload annual maintenance certificates on the portal each year. Government lifts are exempt from the fee, but registration remains mandatory.