E-Paper
Only 5,694 out of 61,521 lifts inspected in Pune district
Of the 61,521 lifts installed across Pune district, only 5,694 have undergone mandatory periodic inspection under the Maharashtra Lift and Escalator Act, 1999
Official data shared in reply to a starred question raised by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA in the legislative assembly on Tuesday, has flagged a serious safety lapse in Pune district. Of the 61,521 lifts installed across Pune district, only 5,694 have undergone mandatory periodic inspection under the Maharashtra Lift and Escalator Act, 1999.
Responding to a starred query raised by BJP MLA Shankar Jagtap as to what action has been taken—or is being taken—for the safety audit of lifts in housing projects and commercial buildings, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis who heads the energy department, informed the House that only 5,694 out of the 61,521 lifts in the district have been inspected between May and November 2025. Periodic inspections are carried out as per section 11 of the Maharashtra Lift Act, 1939, Fadnavis said. The backlog is partly because only two electrical inspectors (lifts) and 69 technical staff were available earlier. As the number of lifts grew, the staff strength proved inadequate. On April 28, 2025, the government issued an order decentralising lift-related responsibilities to division- and district-level offices. Following the government order, 519 posts are now available for lift inspections, Fadnavis shared.
Jagtap raised the question in the wake of the death of a boy, 12, from Chowiswadi in Pimpri-Chinchwad who lost his life in a lift accident in October 2025.
While regular safety checks are mandatory in residential societies, commercial complexes, offices and public places to prevent failures and accidents, the large number of uninspected lifts shows how far the district is from meeting this requirement. The low inspection rate has raised concerns among experts and citizens, especially with the large number of high-rise buildings in Pune and the consequent heavy dependence on lifts.
Regarding the Pimpri-Chinchwad lift accident, Fadnavis said that an inquiry was conducted on October 10, 2025. The lift involved in the accident was shut down after the mishap. The electrical inspector, Pune, also issued notice to the housing society through letter number 4562 dated October 8, 2025, directing it to carry out necessary repairs. The society has been told to obtain written permission before operating the lift again after rectifying all defects.
