1. The comparison table
Sorted with ERD-mandate states first, then standard ARD states, then states for which we have not yet sourced the exact requirement. Every row links to its primary sources at the bottom of this page.
| State | Lift Act | Backup mandate | Height threshold | Enforcement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haryana | Haryana Lifts and Escalators Act, 2008 (as amended in 2020) (2008, am. 2020) | ERD | 15 m | Chief Electrical Inspector, Haryana |
| Delhi | Delhi Lift Rules (under Delhi Electricity Regulatory framework) | ARD | — | Office of the Electrical Inspector, GNCTD |
| Karnataka | Karnataka Lifts, Escalators and Passenger Conveyors Act, 2012 (2012) | ARD | — | Department of Electrical Inspectorate, Karnataka |
| Maharashtra | Maharashtra Lifts, Escalators and Moving Walks Act, 2017 (2017) | ARD | — | PWD, Government of Maharashtra |
| Tamil Nadu | Tamil Nadu Lifts Act, 1997 (1997) | ARD | — | Chief Electrical Inspectorate, Tamil Nadu |
| Uttar Pradesh | Uttar Pradesh Lifts and Escalators Act, 2024 (2024) | ARD | — | Uttar Pradesh Electrical Safety Department |
| Assam | Assam Lifts and Escalators Act | Unknown | — | — |
| Gujarat | Gujarat Lifts and Escalators Act | Unknown | — | — |
| Himachal Pradesh | Himachal Pradesh Lifts and Escalators Act | Unknown | — | — |
| Kerala | Kerala Lifts and Escalators Act | Unknown | — | — |
| West Bengal | West Bengal Lifts and Escalators Act | Unknown | — | — |
Of 11 state lift acts in this dataset, only 1 mandates uninterrupted (ERD-class) backup. The rest require either a standard ARD or, in the case of states whose statute we have not yet fully sourced, an unverified equivalent.
2. What we tracked
For each state we recorded:
- Act name & year — principal lift act and year of most recent material amendment.
- Backup mandate — whether the statute requires standard ARD, uninterrupted ERD-class backup, or none.
- Height threshold — the building height at which the mandate applies (where specified).
- Enforcement body — the office that licenses lift installations and can act on non-compliance.
- Notes — material context including known incidents, known gaps, and amendments under discussion.
We did not record:
- Per-state penalty schedules — these vary across rules and sub-notifications and require separate research.
- Compliance rates or enforcement action counts — this requires RTI responses we are still pursuing.
- Per-state elevator-fatality counts — there is no public dataset of comparable quality across states.
3. State-by-state notes
Haryana
The 2020 amendment (Haryana Act No. 27 of 2020) makes installation of a Lift Inverter / Emergency Rescue Device mandatory for all buildings above 15 metres in height. Currently the only Indian state mandating uninterrupted lift backup.
Delhi
Delhi follows lift safety rules under its electricity regulation framework rather than a dedicated lift act.
Open data gaps: We have not yet sourced the exact statutory text — needs verification from the GNCTD Electrical Inspectorate.
Karnataka
Mandates ARD as a safety feature alongside emergency alarms, door sensors, overload detection, emergency lighting, and two-way communication.
Maharashtra
Standard ARD is a required safety feature, not an uninterrupted backup. Mumbai has reported approximately eight elevator fatalities annually with rising trend.
Tamil Nadu
One of the older state lift acts. ARD is required under the IS 14665 reference framework. November 2024 fatal incident at a Tambaram apartment building drew renewed scrutiny of enforcement.
Uttar Pradesh
The 2024 act introduces mandatory Annual Maintenance Contracts and a standard automatic rescue system. It does NOT mandate uninterrupted (ERD-class) backup; the rescue system moves the lift to the nearest floor after a pause.
Assam
Assam has a lift act and licensing regime. Detailed mandate text not yet sourced.
Open data gaps: Need to source the exact Assam lift act text.
Gujarat
Gujarat is among the ~10 states that require lift licensing. Detailed mandate text not yet sourced.
Open data gaps: Need to source the exact Gujarat lift act text and confirm whether ARD is mandated by statute or only by IS 14665 reference.
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh has a lift act and licensing regime. Detailed mandate text not yet sourced.
Open data gaps: Need to source the exact Himachal Pradesh lift act text.
Kerala
Kerala has a lift act and licensing regime. Detailed mandate text not yet sourced.
Open data gaps: Need to source the exact Kerala lift act text.
West Bengal
West Bengal has a lift act and licensing regime. Detailed mandate text not yet sourced.
Open data gaps: Need to source the exact West Bengal lift act text.
4. Known data gaps
This dataset is unfinished by design. We publish what we have sourced and flag what we have not. If you can help close a gap with a primary document — a gazette PDF, a department circular, a court order — email tips@liftinverter.com.
- Delhi: We have not yet sourced the exact statutory text — needs verification from the GNCTD Electrical Inspectorate.
- Assam: Need to source the exact Assam lift act text.
- Gujarat: Need to source the exact Gujarat lift act text and confirm whether ARD is mandated by statute or only by IS 14665 reference.
- Himachal Pradesh: Need to source the exact Himachal Pradesh lift act text.
- Kerala: Need to source the exact Kerala lift act text.
- West Bengal: Need to source the exact West Bengal lift act text.