Maharashtra's Looming Lift Safety Crisis: Severe Inspector Shortage Puts Thousands at Risk
A critical shortage of government-authorized electrical inspectors in Maharashtra has created a dangerous safety vacuum, with only a small fraction of the state's approximately 2.25 lakh lifts receiving mandatory annual inspections. This alarming situation has raised serious concerns about public safety across urban centers.
Recent Tragedy Highlights Systemic Failures
The issue has gained urgent attention following a tragic lift crash incident in Talegaon Dabhade, where a man lost his life in December last year. The malfunctioning elevator plunged to the ground in a housing society after becoming stuck between floors. Police have now filed charges against the society chairman and other members for alleged negligence in maintenance, exposing significant lapses in periodic inspection and safety compliance.
Massive Inspection Backlog Across Cities
Data reveals the staggering scale of the problem. Pune alone has over 61,000 lifts, yet only around 5,600 were inspected in 2025, indicating a massive backlog in mandatory annual safety checks. "The checks are few and far between and unless there are adequate lift inspectors appointed, this is a gaping issue that needs to be addressed," emphasized a retired energy department official.
Government Recruitment Plan Stalled in Bureaucracy
Despite Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis acknowledging the growing number of lift accidents in Pune and Mumbai during the state budget session, the government's plan to recruit 519 additional electrical inspectors remains stuck. The restructuring proposal of the energy department continues to move between state energy and finance departments, delaying crucial recruitment and on-ground deployment.
Fadnavis admitted that current manpower is insufficient to monitor the rapidly increasing number of high-rise buildings and informed the legislative assembly that the government had approved creating 519 new posts to strengthen lift inspection and safety enforcement. A high-level committee was also promised to draft standard operating procedures.
Decentralization Creates Additional Challenges
Activists have highlighted that decentralization of lift inspection responsibilities has worsened the crisis. Electrical inspectors, who previously focused on technical inspections, now handle multiple responsibilities including:
- Electrical inspections
- Lift inspections
- Accident investigations for electrical and fire incidents
This expanded workload has reduced specialized oversight and weakened preventive safety mechanisms, leading to what citizens describe as a collapse in dedicated lift monitoring across cities.
Citizen Activism and Proposed Solutions
Citizen activist Mohammed Afzal, who filed a public interest litigation on lift safety last year, pointed out that residents often lack awareness about inspection procedures. "Citizens are not aware where to contact for lift inspection. We are demanding a QR code or barcode system whereby simply scanning it, citizens or third parties can immediately lodge a complaint or request inspection," he explained.
Afzal added that he regularly receives complaints from housing societies where maintenance contractors avoid addressing faults. He emphasized that while the energy department already has a 43-point defect checklist for inspections, proper implementation requires city-wise deployment of engineers.
Legislative Delays Compound the Problem
Activists have criticized delays in implementing the Maharashtra Lifts, Escalators and Moving Walkways Act of 2017, noting that the state relied on the outdated Bombay Lift Rules of 1958 for years, slowing modernization of safety norms. Urban safety experts argue that the energy department continues to function reactively, intervening only after accidents occur rather than ensuring strict preventive inspections and accountability from housing societies and maintenance agencies.
Long Road Ahead Despite Approvals
Sources indicate that even after administrative clearances are obtained, the recruitment and deployment of inspectors may require another 12-18 months, prolonging the dangerous shortage on the ground. This extended timeline means thousands of lifts across Maharashtra will continue operating without proper safety oversight, putting residents at unnecessary risk.
The combination of bureaucratic delays, inadequate staffing, and legislative implementation gaps has created a perfect storm of safety concerns that demands immediate attention from state authorities to prevent further tragedies.
