Elevators compulsory in buildings higher than five floors

Elevators have been made compulsory in buildings higher than five floors. The change was made after amending the current Planning Law.

As per the previous planning law, elevators were not compulsory no matter how high a building was constructed. If the building has an elevator shaft, people are permitted to occupy the building. The law said that a two meter wall has to be built to protect the elevator shaft.

Speaking at a press conference by the Housing Ministry on Monday, the Deputy of the Ministry, Hassan Zareer said that there are lots of buildings without elevators after years have passed since they were completed. And so the new Planning Law would solve those issues.

The planning law was amended after an infant and her grandmother fell from to the elevator from the sixth floor of a house in Malé.

The Housing Ministry said that a special program was underway on the same day to check the safety at the buildings in Malé.

Deputy of the Housing Ministry, Hassan Zareer said that they have been checking safety measures in house before the incident as well. He said that the house with old and new permits would be check in the coming weeks.