New elevator code may raise prices by 2-5%: Kone India MD

The new lift safety code may lead to a 2-5 per cent price rise, which is minimal and absorbable by customers, Amit Gossain, managing director of Kone Elevator India, said, emphasising that all the states must implement it without delay before the deadline ends in December.

- DEEPAK PATEL & HIMANSHI BHARDWAJ

Currently, 15 states and one Union Territory have adopted the lift safety code issued by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

The BIS introduced the new code—IS 17900 Part 1 and Part 2—in 2022, replacing earlier standards like IS 14665 and IS 15785 and bringing India's elevator safety framework in line with global norms. These norms will come into force from December 22 this year.

The introduction of IS 17900 is seen as a much-needed upgrade to India's elevator safety landscape. It aligns with international standards such as EN 81-20 and EN 81-50, and also introduces clearer provisions for emergency communication systems, overload protection, fire and earthquake resilience, and more rigorous inspection and maintenance protocols.

However, BIS codes are not automatically enforceable across the country. For them to be legally binding, individual states must issue notifications or amend their respective Lift Acts. While early adoption by 15 states and Jammu & Kashmir is a promising development, several key states are yet to make the switch.