Civic infrastructure, not journalism. We have not filed these RTIs ourselves yet (we will). We are publishing the templates so that any Indian citizen — RWA office-bearer, journalist, lawyer, student, concerned resident — can file one and forward us the response. Together we build the dataset India's lift-safety regime currently lacks.
1. Why we are doing this
On every other page in this section we have flagged a data gap: there is no public dataset of lift accidents in India broken down by state, no published enforcement record for the Haryana ERD mandate, no public status on whether BIS is amending IS 14665, no record of whether the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is drafting a model law.
The Right to Information Act, 2005 was designed for exactly this. A single citizen can compel a public authority to surface any of the above for a ₹10 fee. We have written the applications. You file them. We reconcile the responses into the public dataset.
2. How to file an RTI in India
- Pick the template below. Personalise the bracketed fields (your name, address, latest year, etc.).
- Pay the fee. ₹10 for citizens. Most states accept an Indian Postal Order made out to the relevant accounts officer; some require a court-fee stamp. Online filing via rtionline.gov.in covers central authorities (BIS, MoHUA) and several states.
- Send by post or file online. Keep a copy and the postal / online receipt.
- Wait 30 days. The Public Information Officer is required to respond within 30 days under Section 7 of the RTI Act. If they don't, you can file a First Appeal.
- Forward us the response. Email it to rti@liftinverter.com (or tips@liftinverter.com). We reconcile, anonymise if you ask, and publish the data.
You will not get sued, harassed, or disadvantaged for filing one. The Act is designed to protect you. Every filing builds public knowledge. The first one is the hardest; after that they take ten minutes.
3. The templates
Four templates are published below. Together they cover the core data gaps we have identified across this site. Each is in a copy- and-paste-ready block — copy the body, fill the bracketed fields, and post it.
Haryana CEI: post-2020 enforcement actions & compliance under the Lift Act amendment
Establishes whether the 2020 ERD mandate is being enforced. Without this data, claims about Haryana's policy effectiveness are unsupported. The first batch of responses unlocks the comparative analysis we need.
Public Information Officer, Office of the Chief Electrical Inspector, Government of Haryana, SCO No. 117-118, Top Floor, Sector 17-B, Chandigarh — 160017
₹10 (Indian Postal Order or court-fee stamp; payable to Accounts Officer, CEI Haryana)
Post or in person
To, The Public Information Officer Office of the Chief Electrical Inspector Government of Haryana SCO No. 117-118, Top Floor, Sector 17-B Chandigarh — 160017 Subject: Application under the Right to Information Act, 2005 — implementation of the Haryana Lifts and Escalators (Amendment) Act, 2020 Sir / Madam, Under the Right to Information Act, 2005, I respectfully request the following information pertaining to the implementation of the Haryana Lifts and Escalators (Amendment) Act, 2020 (Haryana Act No. 27 of 2020): 1. The total number of lift installation permits issued by the office between 1 January 2021 and 31 December [LATEST FULL YEAR], year-wise and district-wise. 2. Of those permits, the number that included Emergency Rescue Device / Lift Inverter installation as required under the 2020 Amendment, year-wise and district-wise. 3. The total number of compliance inspections conducted under the 2020 Amendment between 1 January 2021 and 31 December [LATEST FULL YEAR], year-wise. 4. The total number of non-compliance findings recorded in those inspections, year-wise, and a categorisation of the type of non-compliance (e.g. ERD not installed, ERD installed but non-functional, runtime below minimum). 5. The total number of penalties or de-licensing actions issued for non-compliance with the 2020 Amendment between 1 January 2021 and 31 December [LATEST FULL YEAR], year-wise. 6. The total number of lift accidents or incidents reported to or recorded by the office in Haryana between 1 January 2018 and 31 December [LATEST FULL YEAR], year-wise — broken down by year, district, fatality count, and (if recorded) whether the lift was equipped with a functioning ERD at the time of the incident. 7. Any departmental circular, standard operating procedure, or guidance note issued by this office or by the Government of Haryana relating to enforcement of the 2020 Amendment. I undertake to pay the prescribed fee. The application fee of Rs. 10/- is enclosed by way of [INDIAN POSTAL ORDER NO. / COURT FEE STAMP]. Please send the response to my address below, and additionally by email to [YOUR EMAIL] if feasible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR FULL NAME] [YOUR ADDRESS] [YOUR PHONE] [YOUR EMAIL] Date: [DATE] Place: [PLACE]
BIS: status of IS 14665 revision and any work on a backup-power performance class
The fastest national-level path to a lift backup mandate is a BIS amendment to IS 14665. This RTI surfaces whether the relevant Sectional Committee is doing that work, and lets us track its progress.
Public Information Officer, Bureau of Indian Standards, Manak Bhavan, 9 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi — 110002
₹10 (Indian Postal Order payable to Bureau of Indian Standards)
Online (rtionline.gov.in) or post
To, The Public Information Officer Bureau of Indian Standards Manak Bhavan, 9 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg New Delhi — 110002 Subject: Application under the Right to Information Act, 2005 — status of IS 14665 revision and backup-power class Sir / Madam, Under the Right to Information Act, 2005, I respectfully request the following information regarding the Indian Standard IS 14665 (Electric Traction Lifts) and related lift safety standards: 1. The current revision status of each Part of IS 14665 (Parts 1 to 5, including all Sections of Part 4), specifically indicating which Parts are currently under active revision by the relevant BIS Sectional Committee, and the expected publication date of each revision. 2. The name and number of the BIS Sectional Committee with subject-matter responsibility for the IS 14665 series. 3. Whether the Sectional Committee has, at any point between 1 January 2018 and the date of this application, considered or proposed an amendment to IS 14665 (or a new Indian Standard) introducing a performance class for uninterrupted backup-power operation of passenger lifts during grid outages — and if so, the meeting minutes, draft text, or correspondence reflecting that consideration. 4. Whether the Bureau has received any representation, recommendation, or request from the Government of Haryana, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, or any other public authority concerning amendment of IS 14665 to incorporate the requirements of the Haryana Lifts and Escalators (Amendment) Act, 2020. 5. The schedule of upcoming meetings of the relevant Sectional Committee and the procedure for submitting written input from the public. I undertake to pay the prescribed fee. The application fee of Rs. 10/- is enclosed by way of [INDIAN POSTAL ORDER NO.]. Yours faithfully, [YOUR FULL NAME] [YOUR ADDRESS] [YOUR PHONE] [YOUR EMAIL] Date: [DATE] Place: [PLACE]
MoHUA: any model law or advisory on lift safety to states
If the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has issued or considered a model lift-safety law for state adoption, that document is a load-bearing piece of the national-mandate path. This RTI asks for any such work product.
Public Information Officer, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Nirman Bhavan, Maulana Azad Road, New Delhi — 110011
₹10 (Indian Postal Order)
Online (rtionline.gov.in) preferred
To, The Public Information Officer Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs Nirman Bhavan, Maulana Azad Road New Delhi — 110011 Subject: Application under the Right to Information Act, 2005 — Ministry advisories and model laws on lift / elevator safety Sir / Madam, Under the Right to Information Act, 2005, I respectfully request the following information regarding lift and elevator safety: 1. Whether the Ministry has, between 1 January 2018 and the date of this application, issued, drafted, considered, or commissioned any model law, model rules, or model amendment to state lift and escalator acts addressing lift safety — including but not limited to backup-power operation, automatic / emergency rescue devices, and minimum building-height applicability. 2. If yes to (1), copies of the said draft / model law / rules / amendment, all related correspondence with state governments, and any expert committee reports or consultations connected to it. 3. Any communication received by the Ministry from the Government of Haryana referring to the Haryana Lifts and Escalators (Amendment) Act, 2020, or seeking national adoption of similar provisions. 4. Whether the Ministry has, in the same period, undertaken or commissioned any safety review of lift accidents in Indian high-rise residential or commercial buildings — and if so, copies of any resulting reports. 5. Whether the next revision of the National Building Code of India is currently scheduled, and whether any working group has been constituted to consider lift and escalator provisions for the next revision. I undertake to pay the prescribed fee. The application fee of Rs. 10/- is enclosed. Yours faithfully, [YOUR FULL NAME] [YOUR ADDRESS] [YOUR PHONE] [YOUR EMAIL] Date: [DATE] Place: [PLACE]
State CEI / PWD: lift accident data and AMC compliance (template — adapt per state)
The same questions filed across multiple state Chief Electrical Inspectors / PWDs assemble the comparative state-by-state accident dataset that does not currently exist. Adapt the addressing block per state.
[Public Information Officer, Office of the Chief Electrical Inspector / PWD, Government of [STATE], [ADDRESS]]
₹10 (state-specific — most states accept Indian Postal Order; some require court-fee stamp)
Post; some states accept online via state RTI portal
To, The Public Information Officer [Office of the Chief Electrical Inspector / Public Works Department] Government of [STATE] [ADDRESS] Subject: Application under the Right to Information Act, 2005 — lift / elevator safety data for [STATE] Sir / Madam, Under the Right to Information Act, 2005, I respectfully request the following information for the State of [STATE]: 1. The total number of lift installation permits / licences issued by the office between 1 January 2018 and 31 December [LATEST FULL YEAR], year-wise and district-wise. 2. The total number of lifts currently registered as in operation in the State. 3. The total number of compliance inspections conducted under the [STATE LIFT ACT NAME] between 1 January 2018 and 31 December [LATEST FULL YEAR], year-wise. 4. The total number of non-compliance findings recorded in those inspections, year-wise, with a categorisation of the type of non-compliance. 5. The total number of lift accidents or serious incidents reported to or recorded by the office in [STATE] between 1 January 2018 and 31 December [LATEST FULL YEAR], year-wise — broken down by year, district, fatality count, injury count, and the building type (residential, commercial, institutional). 6. The total number of penalties, fines, or de-licensing actions issued for non-compliance with the [STATE LIFT ACT NAME] between 1 January 2018 and 31 December [LATEST FULL YEAR], year-wise. 7. The current rate of Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) compliance among registered lifts in the State, if such data is collected. 8. Any departmental circular, standard operating procedure, or guidance note issued by this office relating to enforcement of [STATE LIFT ACT NAME] in the period above. I undertake to pay the prescribed fee. The application fee of Rs. 10/- is enclosed by way of [INDIAN POSTAL ORDER NO. / COURT FEE STAMP]. Please send the response to my address below, and additionally by email to [YOUR EMAIL] if feasible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR FULL NAME] [YOUR ADDRESS] [YOUR PHONE] [YOUR EMAIL] Date: [DATE] Place: [PLACE]
4. After you file
The Public Information Officer's response can take three forms:
- Full data response. Best case. Forward to us; we cross-check and add to the public dataset.
- Partial response. They give some data, deny some, or redirect you to a different authority. The denials and redirects are themselves data — they tell us where the public record is being held.
- No response within 30 days. File a First Appeal under Section 19 of the RTI Act. We can help draft the appeal — email us.
5. Send us your response
When you receive a response — full, partial, or appealed — please forward it to rti@liftinverter.com. By default we will:
- Anonymise the filer's name and personal details before publishing the response (you can opt to be credited if you prefer).
- Publish the response in our public RTI archive at /policy/rti/responses/ (coming soon).
- Reconcile the data into the relevant section dataset (state tracker, accident ledger, etc.) with a citation back to your filing.
We do not share the filer's identity with any party, including manufacturers or government departments, without explicit written permission. If you are an employee of a regulator or manufacturer and want to share information confidentially, see our sourcing policy.