Hyderabad: Amid a slew of elevator accidents, the state govt is all set to roll out the Telangana Lifts Act, 2025, that’s been in the pipeline for a while. Officials from the department of electrical inspectorate, who have drafted the policy, told TOI that it is in its final stage of approval.
It is expected to come into force in a few months.
The implementation of the Act will make Telangana the 13th state in India to enforce such regulations. The others that have a similar legislation are: Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat, among others. The latest to join the list is neighbouring AP that passed the Andhra Pradesh Lifts and Escalators Bill, 2025 in the assembly on March 11.
Clearance on parts
Sharing details from the draft policy, Telangana’s chief electrical inspector, Ch Ramanjaneyulu, said that it will make it mandatory for lift manufacturers and building owners to seek departmental clearances for installation. The new policy will ensure that only Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) compliant spare parts and components are used during production of lifts.
“This will prevent manufacturers from producing duplicates of popular lifts and, thereby, cut down on accidents. Also because the policy will subject their products to inspections by authorities under the established framework and guidelines, to weed out malpractices,” he said.
Currently, Hyderabad’s lift industry, which installs around 40,000 lifts annually with a Rs 2,400 crore turnover, operates without any regulatory oversight. Authorities say that in the absence of a monitoring body, many operators do not maintain proper standards like speed governors, emergency brakes in lifts, etc resulting in frequent accidents.
The new act will also hold owners of these elevators accountable. They will be compelled to follow guidelines during construction, fitting and upkeep of these elevators and ensure their operation (along with its associated machinery) is safe. “This means that the act will make sure that owners install lifts in accordance with current BNS practices and Central Electricity Authority that lays out various measures relating to safety and electricity supply of elevators,” said Ramanjaneyulu.
At present, property owners across various states need to obtain licences and pay prescribed fees under the Lifts Act, before installation. This ranges between Rs 1,000 and Rs 5,000. This regulation is expected to be implemented in Telangana too. “So, apart from obtaining building permits from GHMC and NOC from the fire department, owners will now have to seek clearance from the department of electrical inspectorate for elevators,” the official added.
The Lifts Act will also bring under scrutiny over 2,000 outlets that currently sell elevators surreptitiously. “The Act will prohibit grill gates — often a cause of accidents — and ensure that the city’s 2.5 lakh installed lifts are maintained through regular inspections by lift inspectors. Additionally, the state govt is expected to benefit from increased revenue through GST collection and licensing fees,” said Challa Avinash, president of Telangana elevators association.
It is expected to come into force in a few months.
The implementation of the Act will make Telangana the 13th state in India to enforce such regulations. The others that have a similar legislation are: Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat, among others. The latest to join the list is neighbouring AP that passed the Andhra Pradesh Lifts and Escalators Bill, 2025 in the assembly on March 11.
Clearance on parts
Sharing details from the draft policy, Telangana’s chief electrical inspector, Ch Ramanjaneyulu, said that it will make it mandatory for lift manufacturers and building owners to seek departmental clearances for installation. The new policy will ensure that only Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) compliant spare parts and components are used during production of lifts.
“This will prevent manufacturers from producing duplicates of popular lifts and, thereby, cut down on accidents. Also because the policy will subject their products to inspections by authorities under the established framework and guidelines, to weed out malpractices,” he said.
Currently, Hyderabad’s lift industry, which installs around 40,000 lifts annually with a Rs 2,400 crore turnover, operates without any regulatory oversight. Authorities say that in the absence of a monitoring body, many operators do not maintain proper standards like speed governors, emergency brakes in lifts, etc resulting in frequent accidents.
The new act will also hold owners of these elevators accountable. They will be compelled to follow guidelines during construction, fitting and upkeep of these elevators and ensure their operation (along with its associated machinery) is safe. “This means that the act will make sure that owners install lifts in accordance with current BNS practices and Central Electricity Authority that lays out various measures relating to safety and electricity supply of elevators,” said Ramanjaneyulu.
At present, property owners across various states need to obtain licences and pay prescribed fees under the Lifts Act, before installation. This ranges between Rs 1,000 and Rs 5,000. This regulation is expected to be implemented in Telangana too. “So, apart from obtaining building permits from GHMC and NOC from the fire department, owners will now have to seek clearance from the department of electrical inspectorate for elevators,” the official added.
The Lifts Act will also bring under scrutiny over 2,000 outlets that currently sell elevators surreptitiously. “The Act will prohibit grill gates — often a cause of accidents — and ensure that the city’s 2.5 lakh installed lifts are maintained through regular inspections by lift inspectors. Additionally, the state govt is expected to benefit from increased revenue through GST collection and licensing fees,” said Challa Avinash, president of Telangana elevators association.
