Old communities in Chengdu supported to install elevators

The long-standing problems in installing elevators in old communities are now expected to be resolved in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

The Chengdu city government is considering encouraging multi-channel financing of construction funds and market-oriented operations to help citizens install elevators in old communities, according to an executive meeting recently held by the local government.

The government also plans to provide subsidies of 200,000 yuan ($29,396) per set.

With the social and economic development and the aging of the population, it has become the appeal of many citizens to install an elevator for their apartment without a lift, and it has gradually evolved into a livelihood issue that needs to be solved urgently.

The city carried out a regulation on the installation of elevators in old communities in 2016, but problems still remain as it was too strict. For example, the regulation stipulates that the elevator can only be installed when all of the residents at the building agree.

The new policy plans to relax the requirements to install elevators, said an official at Chengdu Urban and Rural Construction Commission.

Once permitted, residents can install elevators by themselves, or entrust the property service enterprise, elevator production and installation enterprise and others to install the elevator, he said.