In a block of flats the lift belongs to everyone and, too often, to no one. It is chosen by the builder, used by every family in the block and paid for out of a maintenance fund that is always short. An apartment lift in Sasaram has to be planned with all of that in mind: enough capacity for the number of flats, a car that can take a patient downstairs, a sure way out during a power cut and a yearly cost the society can actually collect.
Eldeal Engineers installs and maintains residential lifts and elevators from its corporate office on Old G.T. Road, Sasaram. This page is for society secretaries, flat owners' committees and families buying into one of the new apartment blocks in the town. If you are choosing between lift types in general, our passenger lift in Sasaram page covers doors, machines and finishes.
How many lifts, and how big, for your flats
Three numbers decide the answer: how many floors, how many flats on each floor, and how long residents are willing to wait at eight in the morning. The table below is a rule-of-thumb starting point and is indicative only.
| Block | Usual plan | Why |
|---|---|---|
| G+3 or G+4, two flats per floor | One lift, 6 persons (408 kg) | Light traffic; choose 8 persons if a wheelchair must fit comfortably |
| G+4 or G+5, four flats per floor | One lift, 8–10 persons (544–680 kg) | School and office hours overlap; a larger car clears the queue |
| Taller block, or many flats per floor | Two lifts, one of them deep enough for a stretcher | Shorter waits, and the building is never without a lift during servicing |
A speed of about 1.0 m/s suits most low-rise blocks. In a building of five or six floors, a bigger car does more to cut waiting time than a faster one. If the block has stilt parking, remember that the ground-level stop adds one more landing to the count.
The night someone needs an ambulance: car depth
Ask anyone who has carried an elderly parent down four flights of stairs at night. In an apartment block, the lift is also the emergency route to the ambulance. An ambulance stretcher is close to two metres long, so the car needs to be deep, not square. Where a full stretcher car is not possible, a slightly deeper car that takes a wheelchair with a helper, or a folding stretcher, is still a real improvement.
Car depth is fixed by the shaft, and the shaft is fixed by the first slab. Flat buyers who care about this should ask the builder for the car's inside dimensions before booking, not after possession. Your architect can also confirm whether the building code asks for a stretcher-size or fire lift at your building's height.
Power cuts: ARD, generator and a clean supply
Outages and voltage swings are part of life in many Bihar towns, so plan three things.
- Automatic Rescue Device (ARD): fitted on every Eldeal lift. When mains power fails it brings the car to the nearest floor and opens the doors. Its battery needs checking at each service visit.
- Generator connection: the ARD rescues passengers but does not keep the lift running. If the society has a generator, size it for the lift motor and agree who pays for the diesel.
- Dedicated feed and earthing: a separate supply for the lift, with sound earthing, protects the controller from fluctuations. Keep the lift on the common-area meter so its units are easy to track.
Every car also has an overload sensor with voice prompt, a light curtain on the doors, an intercom, an alarm and an emergency light. The V3F drive starts gently and draws less current at start-up than older two-speed systems.
Budgeting the society lift, head by head
A lift that the society cannot afford to service will sooner or later be switched off. Put these heads into the annual budget from the first year:
- AMC fee: the largest fixed item. A comprehensive contract covers parts as well as labour; a non-comprehensive one covers visits and labour only. Our guide to comprehensive and non-comprehensive AMC explains the difference.
- Electricity: units used by the lift on the common meter.
- Insurance and statutory fees: registration, inspection and third-party insurance where the state rules require them.
- Wear items: the ARD battery, door rollers and lighting need replacing from time to time.
- A reserve for major work: ropes, the drive, or a full upgrade when the lift is old. A small monthly contribution is easier to collect than one large demand.
Decide early how the cost is split between flats, write it down and keep a lift logbook with every visit and breakdown. Our lift AMC plans in Sasaram set out what each contract includes.
Adding an apartment lift in Sasaram to an older walk-up block
Many G+2 and G+3 blocks in the town were built as walk-ups. Residents who bought as young families now have parents who cannot manage the stairs. A lift can often be added in one of two places:
- Inside the staircase well, if the open well is wide enough for a compact car. Nothing changes outside, but the size is limited.
- In a new shaft on an outside wall, in the side or rear setback, with openings cut at each floor. Check where the shaft meets the building: if it lands on the half-landings of the staircase, residents will still have a few steps to climb.
Either route needs a structural engineer's approval and the written consent of the owners. Older buildings often have little pit depth and low headroom, so a hydraulic or compact machine-room-less design may suit better; see our page on the hydraulic lift in Sasaram.
After handover: the legal duties that pass to the owners
The Bihar Lift and Escalator Bill, 2024, passed by the Bihar Assembly on 2 August 2024, provides for registration, periodic inspection, mandatory maintenance, third-party insurance, and replacement or major upgrade of lifts after about 20 years. As per BIS, IS 17900 became mandatory for new installations from 22 December 2025, with emphasis on UCMP, ACOP and ARD. Once the builder hands over, these duties normally pass to the owners or their society, so ask for the lift's drawings, test records and warranty papers at handover. Please confirm the current notifications with the local authority. If you are still comparing suppliers, our list of questions to ask before buying a lift is a useful checklist.
What a survey with Eldeal covers
Our engineer visits the block, measures the shaft, pit and headroom, counts flats and floors, and asks about elderly residents and power backup. You then receive a written, itemised quotation. The cost depends on the number of stops, car size, door type, cabin finish and any civil work, so we do not quote a fixed figure before the visit. Installation is inspected at each stage and the lift is load tested before handover.
Planning or taking over a lift for your apartment block in Sasaram? Book a free site survey with our local team. Call or WhatsApp +91 84489 44342 or +91 62077 91650 and we will meet your committee at the building.