Despite the various innovative solutions, the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) could not be implemented to 150 HDB blocks, including six blocks in Hougang, due to costs or technical constraints, revealed the Ministry of National Development in Parliament on Tuesday (1 August).
Introduced in 2001, LUP aims to provide direct lift access to flats while enhancing convenience for residents, particularly the less mobile and elderly.
The ministry noted that “there were more than 5,300 HDB blocks where not all dwelling units have direct lift access” at the start of the programme. Of this, over 1,000 blocks were found to be unfeasible for LUP.
To help flats in the affected blocks gain direct lift access, HDB adopted various technical solutions. Some of the solutions that have been implemented successfully include “lifts that do not have a machine room at the top of the shafts (i.e. machine room-less lifts), creation of new entry points to residents’ homes, and the use of smaller “home lifts””.
But while the vast majority of the 5,300 blocks have benefitted from the programme over the years, there remains around 150 blocks where LUP is still unfeasible.
“Residents living in these blocks who are in urgent need of direct lift access due to medical conditions or disability may approach HDB for housing and financing assistance,” said the ministry.
“HDB will assess each request on a case-by-case basis to see how best to render help.”
This article was edited by Denise Djong.
