Why Is Our Society Lift Always Out of Order?
Why Is Our Society Lift Always Out of Order?
The elevator problem no one talks about — but everyone suffers
You are standing on the 12th floor. Grocery bags in both hands. Shoes pinching. You press the elevator button. A faint “out of order” chit is taped on the door. Again. This is not a one-off. This is Tuesday.
Yaar, what is actually going on?
In most housing societies across India — from Mumbai to Noida, from Bengaluru to Hyderabad — the building elevator is one of the most used yet most neglected pieces of shared infrastructure. People use it 50 times a day. Nobody thinks about it until it stops working.
The problems are not always because of bad luck. Most of the time, there are very clear, very fixable reasons why your society lift keeps breaking down.
The main problems — in plain language
AMC not renewed on time. Or renewed, but engineer never actually visits.
DG backup not connected to lift. One power cut and the cabin gets stuck mid-floor.
Committee delays approving repair expense. The lift waits. You wait. Everyone waits.
Heavy furniture moved without padding. Walls scratched, doors forced, cables stressed.
As per the Indian Lifts Act and various state regulations, every passenger elevator must be serviced at least once a month and inspected by a licensed engineer every year. Many societies quietly skip both.
Who is responsible — honestly?
Let us be honest here. The blame does not sit only with the committee or the maintenance company. All of us as residents share some responsibility.
Think about it — how many times have you seen someone stop the lift door with their foot for 5 minutes while chatting? Or let children press every floor button? Or move a full sofa set without informing the society? These small things add up and slowly damage the machinery.
At the same time, the Managing Committee must not treat lift maintenance as “optional” spending. A working elevator is not a luxury — it is basic dignity, especially for elderly residents, people with disabilities, and families with small children.
What can residents demand?
- Copy of the current AMC agreement — ask for it at the next AGM
- Monthly maintenance log pasted inside the lift cabin or shared on WhatsApp group
- DG set connection to the elevator verified in writing
- Emergency helpline number of the lift company displayed clearly in cabin
- A proper “lift shifting policy” — booking slot, padding walls, security deposit for damage
- Lift inspection certificate from the state authority — must be displayed by law
If your lift has been breaking down more than twice a month, it is not a “technical issue.” It is a management issue. Raise it formally — in writing — to your committee. Keep a record.
A simple thing that actually works
One Pune society, frustrated with constant breakdowns, started something very simple — a WhatsApp-based complaint register. Every time the lift stopped working, a resident posted the time and nature of the problem. After 3 months, they had a clear record showing the same issue was repeating every 18–20 days. They used that data to switch to a better maintenance vendor. Breakdowns dropped by 70%.
You don’t need fancy technology. You just need people who care enough to document and follow up.
“The elevator in your building is not just a machine. It is a test of how well your society is managed. A well-maintained lift means someone is paying attention — to the old uncle on the 8th floor who cannot climb stairs, to the new mother carrying her baby, to all of us on our worst days.”
Next issue: Why society security is everyone’s problem, not just the guard’s
