Hyderabad: Despite a series of fatal lift accidents, Telangana has yet to implement its Lifts Act, a safety regulation already adopted by at least 10 states across India. The proposal, initially drafted over a decade ago in 2015 and updated in September 2025, is still pending government approval, sources revealed.
High Court Intervention
In February 2025, the Telangana High Court reprimanded the state government for the delay in implementing the act. The court directed the state to submit a detailed report within four weeks on the status of the revised Telangana Lifts Act, 2025, and the stage at which it was pending.
Recent Fatalities Highlight Urgency
The need for a Lift Safety Act has come into sharp focus following two major lift-related deaths in Hyderabad in the last two months. A five-year-old girl died after getting trapped in a grill-style elevator at a women's PG hostel in Gowlidoddi, Gachibowli. A 57-year-old partially visually impaired woman died after stepping into an empty lift shaft when the landing door opened despite the lift car not arriving, in Khairatabad. Experts attribute both incidents to the absence of uniform safety and accessibility standards, which particularly endanger children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.
Technical Failures
Police investigating the Khairatabad incident reported that a lift technician had indicated a possible system malfunction. According to police, the woman believed the lift had arrived and attempted to enter, only to fall to her death. Experts argue that enforcing a Lift Act would prevent such accidents by mandating automated door elevators in all residential complexes and public spaces, eliminating risks associated with manual swing elevator grills.
VYLN Murthy, an elevator industry expert and former electrical engineer for the Indian Air Force, told TOI, "The fact that the grill opened despite the lift car not being on that particular floor itself indicates a malfunction. If the lift car is not on the floor, the landing gate should not open." Murthy, who helped draft an earlier version of the proposed act, emphasized that such legislation ensures lifts undergo approval, certification, and safety inspections before public use.
Inspection Gaps
Murthy noted that many states already require government approval for lift installations and mandate inspections before lifts are certified safe. "Without a regulatory framework, there is no dedicated inspection mechanism to verify whether lifts meet safety requirements," he said.
B Devadas, general secretary of the Telangana Elevators and Escalators Association, stated that a Lift Act would make periodic inspections and compliance reporting mandatory. "There should be a system where lifts are periodically checked and reports are submitted. Such inspections can help identify faults before accidents occur," he said.
Cost Over Safety
Industry experts also pointed out that most residents prioritize cheaper options over safety. "Thousands of lifts are operating without structured monitoring. Customers often choose the lowest bidder, without caring about their personal safety. But safety standards, maintenance, and audits are important," an expert said.
Design Flaws
Vulnerable users face greater risks when lifts lack modern safety and accessibility features. "Collapsible doors are not safe for the visually challenged. Voice announcements are the most important feature because they tell users which floor the lift has reached and whether the doors are closing. If in the Khairatabad case, an announcement was made, the woman would have known if the lift had arrived and we would not have lost a life," said Dr. Sai Baba Goud, founder-chairman of Devnar School for the Blind. While Braille buttons are useful, audio announcements are often more practical, especially in crowded lifts, he added.
Murthy also highlighted design-related risks for children. Older lift systems with swing doors and collapsible gates have historically been associated with accidents where children become trapped between doors or enter unsafe spaces. In contrast, automatic doors are equipped with safety sensors that prevent closure when a person is in the way.
Government Stance
An inspector from the Department of Electrical Inspectorate told TOI that the draft is ready but needs to be taken up by the government. "The bill has to be passed in the assembly. All the required formalities from our end have been completed. The bill is now supposed to be passed in the assembly," the official said.
How the Lift Act Can Help
Under the proposed legislation, guidelines for registering and regulating the construction, fitting, upkeep, and secure operation of lifts, including all associated machinery, would be established. The Act would ensure owners install lifts in accordance with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) norms and Central Electricity Authority regulations. It would also require property owners to obtain licenses and pay prescribed fees before installing lifts. The regulatory framework is expected to function similarly to obtaining building permissions from GHMC and fire safety clearances from the fire department for high-rise buildings.
Experts say such a system would ensure periodic inspections, compliance monitoring, and timely identification of faults before accidents occur.
Other States with Lift Acts
Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat have already implemented Lift Acts to regulate lift installations and safety standards. In 2025, neighboring Andhra Pradesh passed the Andhra Pradesh Lifts and Escalators Bill on March 12, 2025, providing a regulatory framework for registration, installation, operation, and maintenance of lifts and escalators.
Fatal Lift Accidents in Recent Years
- November 20, 2025 – A five-year-old LKG student died after getting trapped in a lift in Yellareddyguda while returning home from school.
- July 19, 2025 – A 70-year-old security guard died after falling into a lift shaft in Basheerbagh.
- April 13, 2025 – A doctor attempting to retrieve a cricket ball from a lift pit was crushed after the lift suddenly descended in Qutbullapur.
- March 13, 2025 – A four-year-old boy died after getting stuck in a lift gate in Asif Nagar.
- March 12, 2025 – An additional superintendent of police died after falling into a lift shaft in Sircilla.
- February 22, 2025 – A six-year-old boy died after getting trapped between an elevator shaft and a wall in Masab Tank.
- July 2, 2024 – A 68-year-old man died after accidentally slipping into a lift pit in Tukaramgate.
- July 7, 2020 – A 38-year-old man, a native of West Bengal, died after falling into a lift shaft in SR Nagar.
- November 25, 2019 – A nine-year-old boy fell into a lift shaft and was crushed under the lift in Raidurgam.
- May 10, 2019 – A 67-year-old woman from Andhra Pradesh fell three floors into a lift pit and died in Rajendranagar.
