A number of 37 elevators of the housing sector of Chisinau that are older than 43 will be replaced at a cost of 19 million lei, IPN reports.

Acting mayor of Chisinau Silvia Radu, after the ordinary meeting of officials of Chisinau services and divisions, said the necessary financial resources were identified following an analysis of the 2018 budget of the General Public Amenities Division. The money was initially earmarked for maintaining green areas and purchasing auto-towers and special intervention equipment.

The costs associated with the replacement of the 37 elevators were assessed at 24 million lei, but those from “Liftservice” assured that they will execute the works at a lower price.

Besides the 37 elevators that will be replaced, there are also 41 elevators aged between 40 and 43 that also need to be changed given that the recommended useful life is of 25 years. In Chisinau, 99% of the elevators have been used for more than 25 years.

Silvia Radu said the municipality will consider taking out loans to modernize the elevators and to found an enterprise that would produce elevators in Chisinau. This will enable the municipality to produce elevators at lower costs than those incurred now for purchasing them.

About 33 million lei has been allocated from the municipal budget since 2009 for repairing and modernizing elevators. The money was used to repair 25 elevators and to modernize another 46.