We Are Currently Replacing 520 Elevators, Mayor Marutyan

Most of the elevators in multi-apartment buildings are over 40 years old, while their operational lifespan is up to 25 years. Residents have been living in fear for years, worried that their elevator might break down again.

At the end of 2019, the Yerevan municipality replaced 20 elevators as a pilot project. An additional 100 were planned for replacement in 2020. In January of this year, Mayor Marutyan decided to increase the scale of the program fivefold. The new elevators will be first introduced to the mayor of Yerevan.

As common property, elevators belong to residents under the law “On the Management of Multi-Apartment Buildings.” However, considering the social aspect of the problem and the danger it poses to the lives and health of citizens, the community initiated this large-scale and seemingly unfeasible program on its own.

This is the first time such volume of work is being done with the city budget. “In the last 28 years, only 35 elevators have been completely replaced. Currently, we are replacing 520 elevators,” emphasized the mayor.

The municipality prioritized the replacement of elevators based on worn-out cabins, poor condition of shafts, and a number of other criteria established by the Ministry of Emergency Situations. According to the developed model, the community is now replacing and handing over new elevators to residents free of charge as shared property. In return, residents need to prepare for the next phase of replacements to avoid facing the elevator replacement issue again in 20 or 25 years.

“Residents should start collecting funds from today to replace their elevators with their own resources in 25 years. This is the system that will ensure the entire elevator stock of Yerevan in 25 years,” highlighted the mayor.

The newly installed elevators are also adapted for people with visual, auditory, and mobility impairments. This was a requirement laid out in the tender announcements. “All the elevator openings are designed to ensure easy access for people with disabilities. Another very important feature is that the elevators operate on an UPS system. If there is an unexpected power cut, the elevator does not stop; it approaches the nearest floor and opens,” noted Hayk Marutyan.

Currently, replacement work is ongoing at 124 sites simultaneously. The program is set to conclude by the end of the year. Apart from its primary objective, the elevator replacement program also addresses another significant issue—providing jobs for hundreds of specialists and generally boosting the development of the sector in our country. “The program also addresses the issue of job creation. Many of our compatriots have returned from Russia and Belarus and are involved in the installation of these elevators,” remarked the mayor.

The elevator replacement program will continue in the coming years, targeting at least 3000 elevators. Moreover, to ensure citizens’ safety, old elevators will be repaired using the budgets of administrative districts.