Written Answer by Ministry of National Development on flats without direct lift access

Oct 7, 2019

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for National Development whether HDB will consider alternatives such as sky bridges to connect flats without lifts on their floor to the next available lift if lifts on every floor remain non-feasible for the time being.

Answer:

The Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) was launched in 2001 to provide direct lift access to flats and enhance convenience for residents, especially the elderly and the less mobile. At the start of the programme, there were more than 5,300 HDB blocks without 100% lift access. 

Over the years, HDB has adopted innovative technical solutions, such as lifts that do not have a machine room at the top of the shafts, and small capacity lifts, to help such blocks to have direct lift access. Through these efforts, the vast majority of the 5,300 blocks are now able to benefit from LUP. There now remain about 150 blocks where it is still not possible to implement LUP due to high cost, or existing technical or site constraints.

With regard to the suggestion to create sky bridges to connect flats without direct lift access to the nearest lift, we will need to study this carefully. Such sky bridges will require extensive structural works, which is likely to be very expensive. 

Meanwhile, we continue to look for cost effective technical solutions for flats without direct lift access. Residents who are in urgent need of direct lift access due to medical conditions or disability may approach HDB for assistance. HDB will look into the specific circumstances of each case, and see how best to render help.