Beijing, Jan 31 (IANS): The Beijing municipal government will subsidise the replacement of old elevators in high-rises across the Chinese capital, a media report said on Sunday.

Funding from Beijing Municipal Administration of Quality and Technology Supervision (BMAQTS) will be mainly used to replace elevators with unidentified ownership, the Global Times reported.

Beijing has over 192,000 elevators, about 26 percent of which are at least 10 years old and risk malfunctioning. Of the total number, about 94,000 elevators are in residential buildings.

Chen Hui, deputy director of the safety inspection office of BMAQTS, said at least 3,956 elevators in 2015 were deemed "high risk".

The administration will urge maintenance for these malfunctioning equipment this year, he said.

In 2015, Xicheng district government issued 23 million yuan ($3.5 million) to replace 60 elevators. The district has earmarked 20 million yuan for elevator repair and replacement this year.

Beijing conducts elevator safety checks annually. The number of elevators and escalators has increased by 20 percent every year.