This article is drafted as a “Point of View” (POV) or “Thought Leadership” piece. It is designed to educate Managing Committees (MC) on the grave legal and safety risks they take when they “cut corners” by asking CCTV vendors to handle lift wiring.

Why We Refuse CCTV Wiring Inside Lift Shafts: A Safety & Legal Mandatory

At Armour Consulting LLP (formerly Indus Cartel), we believe in securing lives, not just properties. This is why we have a strict policy: We will NEVER perform wiring inside a lift shaft. Here is why we insist that this specialized task must only be handled by your authorized lift maintenance company.

In our decade of experience serving housing societies in Mumbai, Thane, and Navi Mumbai, we are frequently asked: “Can’t your boys just run the cable through the lift shaft? The lift maintenance guy said he’ll allow it if we pay him a little extra.”

Our answer is always a polite but firm No.

While some CCTV vendors might agree to do this to close a sale, we refuse to compromise the safety of your residents or the legal standing of your Managing Committee. Here is the hard truth about lift wiring that every Secretary and Chairman must know.

1. The Legal Reality: The Maharashtra Lifts Act, 2017

Under the Maharashtra Lifts, Escalators and Moving Walks Act, 2017, a lift shaft is a highly regulated, restricted zone.

The law is clear: Only licensed electrical contractors with specific authorization from the Chief Electrical Inspector are permitted to touch any wiring related to or inside a lift. Most CCTV vendors—even the best ones—do not hold the specialized licenses required to work inside a moving elevator shaft.

If an unlicensed vendor performs this work, they are violating state law. By hiring them, the Managing Committee is effectively authorizing an illegal act.

2. The “Permission” Myth

A common misconception is that if the local lift maintenance technician “gives permission” or stands by while the CCTV person works, it becomes legal.

It does not.

A technician’s verbal consent does not override state law or your lift’s insurance policy. In fact, if a lift maintenance operator allows an unauthorized CCTV person to enter the shaft, they are risking their own company’s license and your society’s safety certificate.

3. The Liability Trap for Managing Committees

As a Managing Committee member, you have a “Duty of Care.” If a tragedy occurs—such as a cable getting entangled in the lift mechanism, leading to a snap or a fire—the legal scrutiny begins with who authorized the work.

Under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the penalties for negligence have become significantly stricter:

• Criminal Negligence (Section 106 BNS): If an accident occurs due to unauthorized wiring, the Committee can be charged with “Causing death by negligence.”This can lead to imprisonment for up to 5 years and heavy fines.

• Insurance Rejection: In the event of an accident, if the insurance surveyor finds “unauthorized third-party wiring” inside the shaft, your insurance claim for the lift or the building will likely be rejected. The financial burden will fall directly on the society members or the committee.

4. The Technical Risk: Moving Machinery vs. Static Cables

A lift shaft is not a wall; it is a dynamic environment with high-speed moving parts, counterweights, and traveling cables.

• Mechanical Interference: A CCTV cable that isn’t perfectly tensioned or routed by a certified lift engineer can snag, causing the lift to jerk or the cable to snap.

• Electrical Noise: Improperly shielded cables placed too close to high-voltage lift motors can cause “ghosting” in your footage or, worse, interfere with the lift’s own control sensors.

5. Why We Say No (Even if it Costs Us the Contract)

We know that by refusing to do lift wiring, we occasionally lose business to vendors who are willing to “adjust.” However, at Armour Consulting LLP, our reputation is built on transparency and ethics.

• We insist that your authorized lift company (OTIS, Schindler, Kone, etc.) provides the “Traveler Cable” or performs the internal wiring.

• We then terminate and connect the camera to that professional-grade wiring.

This ensures that your Lift Warranty stays intact, your Safety Certificate remains valid, and your Residents remain safe.

Our Advice to Housing Societies:

If a CCTV vendor offers to “save you money” by doing the lift wiring themselves, ask them for their Lift Shaft Work License. If they cannot produce it, they are putting your committee at risk of criminal prosecution.

Don’t cut corners where lives are concerned.Demand legal, professional, and authorized installations.

For expert, compliant, and ethical CCTV consultancy in Mumbai, Thane, and Navi Mumbai, contact Armour Consulting LLP today.

[WhatsApp for a Site Audit: +91-9702-55-4444