Couple Trapped for 18 Minutes in Sector 37C Society Lift

GURUGRAM: A couple living in a Sector 37C condominium was trapped inside a lift for about 18 minutes after the cabin reportedly stopped between floors near the basement. The July 28 incident at Imperia Esfera has renewed residents’ questions about lift maintenance, emergency response and the handling of complaints raised before a breakdown.

Naveen Samson Parmar and his wife Zenobia Parmar entered the lift in C Tower at around 7.20am. They live on the 23rd floor, and Zenobia was leaving for the school in Dwarka where she works. According to the couple, the lift descended with a jerk, stopped between two levels and did not open.

They sounded the alarm and repeatedly struck the door to draw attention. The couple alleged that no security worker responded immediately. As the wait continued, Zenobia began sweating and feeling faint, while her husband tried to keep her calm. Security personnel eventually opened the lift and helped them out.

Residents have complained to the developer and maintenance agency. Parmar said faults had been reported for around 15 days before the incident but were not treated with sufficient urgency. That assertion should be checked against the maintenance complaint register, service calls and the lift’s automatic fault log.

The maintenance company has attributed the failure to corrosion in some components caused by moisture and a high groundwater level around the complex. Repair work was initiated, with the lift expected to return to service after checks. Corrosion is not an unforeseeable event, however; it is precisely the kind of site condition a preventive-maintenance schedule should detect.

A safe response requires more than restarting the cabin. The lift should undergo a full examination of brakes, door locks, sensors, alarm communication and emergency lowering systems. Other lifts in the complex should also be inspected because they operate in the same environment and may be exposed to similar moisture.

The incident highlights the weak link between a cabin alarm and the people expected to answer it. Every high-rise needs a monitored emergency line, trained guards, rescue instructions and a response drill that does not depend on residents hearing someone bang on a door. Children, older people and passengers with medical conditions may not tolerate an extended delay.

No serious injury was reported, but the outcome should not be used to minimise the lapse. The developer, maintenance agency and competent authority need to establish why earlier complaints did not prevent the shutdown and whether the rescue met prescribed standards. Residents deserve the inspection findings, not only an assurance that the lift has been switched back on.