Makhachkala residents pointed out to the authorities the unresolved issue of malfunctioning elevators.
The elevator in an apartment building on Karabudakhkent Highway in Makhachkala fell with passengers, including children, and stopped between floors. Repeated appeals from residents to the developer and the management company yielded no results, complained a resident of the building on social media. Other Makhachkala residents, commenting on her complaint, shared similar problems with elevators in other apartment buildings.
As reported by "Caucasian Knot", residents of Makhachkala have repeatedly complained about elevator malfunctions in apartment buildings. For instance, on September 1 of this year, residents of a 14-story building No. 15 on Magaramkent Street demanded to replace the emergency elevator, which had fallen twice with passengers. After the repeated incident, residents refused to use the equipment, fearing another cabin fall. According to the residents, they had been unable to achieve the replacement of the elevator for over a year, and numerous appeals to the city administration yielded no results. The absence of a functioning elevator particularly complicated life for residents on the upper floors, especially in cases of emergency medical assistance.
On August 8, in building No. 27 on Elza Ibrahimova Street in Makhachkala, the elevator fell with nine people inside. Four men sustained leg fractures. Local authorities reported that the building was constructed in 2021 with violations and had not been accepted into the municipality's balance. Later, the investigation established that the elevator was operated without the necessary technical documents and certificates of compliance, as well as without mandatory inspections and proper emergency maintenance. In October, a criminal case against the developer was sent to the prosecutor for a decision on the approval of the indictment.
According to a resident of building No. 57B on Karabudakhkent Highway in Makhachkala, on November 7, in one of the entrances, the elevator with people, including children, fell and stopped between floors. The woman posted a video on social media recorded by the elevator camera. The footage shows a man at the open elevator door moving parts of the door mechanism with his hands. He then squats down and inspects the lower part of the opening and the metal guides. Two children are in the elevator, one of whom is holding a red scooter. Throughout the recording, the elevator door remains open.
"What is happening in our entrances is not just negligence; it is a crime," the resident stated. According to her, people managed to get out of the stopped cabin on their own. She also mentioned that there are people with disabilities and limited mobility living in the building, for whom a functioning elevator is necessary to go outside. However, there is only one freight elevator in the building, and the space for a passenger elevator has been closed off with boards for over three years. The resident pointed out that numerous appeals to the management company, to the developer, and through the State Housing Inspectorate yielded no results, as stated in the complaint of the Makhachkala resident, which was published on November 8 by the Instagram* public golos.dagestan_.
On January 23, 2026, the city assembly of Makhachkala discussed problems with elevator equipment after numerous complaints from residents. Meeting participants pointed out the need to strengthen control over the technical condition of elevators and to expedite responses to residents' appeals. In August, the authorities reported on the replacement of 63 elevators in 20 apartment buildings in Makhachkala and other cities in Dagestan. On November 5, the State Housing Inspectorate of Dagestan reported on a meeting with residents of building No. 27g on Elza Ibrahimova Street, where the elevator was taken out of service after the incident. According to the agency, the developer committed to repair the equipment within two weeks.
As of 11:40 AM Moscow time on November 11, the post by the Makhachkala resident complaining about the elevator issue in the Instagram* public golos.dagestan_, which has about 396.6 thousand followers, received 647 likes and 54 comments.
Other local residents confirmed that the elevator problem in this building occurs regularly. "The elevator problem in this yard happens often; can't it be fixed to work properly?" wrote guljanat21.12.
"How many times have I personally restarted this elevator," reported ya_v_terapii.
"We have the same elevator problem in our building," noted gyulnara12329.
Other discussion participants pointed out the safety threat to residents, including children and people with limited mobility. One commenter complained about the lack of communication with the dispatcher. "No ventilation, no communication, no button to call the dispatcher," pointed out user km1ak_.
"How would a child or an adult in a wheelchair get out?" asked s.m.k_666999.
"We cannot remain silent. Our lives are at risk," stated hadija_israpilova.
Some commenters criticized the quality of elevator maintenance and pointed out the costs borne by residents. "They even charge a decent bill for maintenance, zero service!" wrote kamil_aduev.
"But they don't forget to collect for major repairs," noted ragimat5857.
"The developer installed cheap elevators. Until someone gets hurt, they won't do anything," expressed concern _magiya_krasoty.
As of 11:40 AM Moscow time on November 11, there were no comments on the State Housing Inspectorate of Dagestan's website regarding the complaints of Makhachkala residents about the elevator issue in building No. 57B on Karabudakhkent Highway.
"Caucasian Knot" also reported that on June 4, 2023, residents of the Makhachkala residential complex "Roman Quarter" complained to the head of Dagestan about non-functioning elevators and other construction deficiencies. According to them, elevators could be out of service for four days, forcing people, including the elderly and parents with infants, to climb to the 12th floor via unlit staircases without railings. Residents claimed that the developer refuses to rectify the violations, and appeals to regulatory authorities remain unanswered.