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New law to hold lift manufacturers accountable: Yogi
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath announced that his government will enact a law ensuring the safety and security of lifts/escalators in multi-storey buildings.
Amidst the increasing frequency of lift accidents in Lucknow and other parts of the state, chief minister Yogi Adityanath announced that his government will enact a law ensuring the safety and security of lifts/escalators in multi-storey buildings.
During a high-level meeting on Monday, Adityanath emphasised the importance of the safety of lifts and escalators used by the general public, including the elderly, children, and individuals with health or mobility challenges. “Their safety is very important. For this purpose, it is necessary to enact a law. This will enable strict enforcement and adherence to prescribed procedures for construction, quality, built-in safety features, installation, operation and maintenance of lifts and escalators,” he said.
Adityanath said that there is no applicable law in this regard in the state, whereas the Lift Act is in force in other states of the country. “This needs to be implemented in UP as soon as possible,” he said.
“It should be made mandatory for every owner installing a new lift and escalator, whether it is located on a private or public premises, to register. This should also be made mandatory for already installed and operated lifts and escalators,” he added.
“Make compliance with BIS standards mandatory in the construction of lifts and escalators. In their installation, compliance with relevant building codes and other necessary codes should also be ensured,” Adityanath further said.
“For the safety of passengers in the lift, it should be mandatory to install an auto rescue device, so that in case of power supply or any other fault, the passenger trapped inside the lift reaches the nearest landing and the lift door opens automatically. It should also be mandatory to install emergency bells, CCTV cameras, adequate lighting and communication system to communicate outside the lift,” the CM noted.
In the interest of public safety, Adityanath called for insurance coverage for passengers in case of accidents during lift and escalator operation. He proposed legal action against manufacturers or relevant agencies in response to complaints or adverse information about installation and operation.
In case of accidents resulting in human or animal loss or injury, Adityanath emphasised the immediate reporting of incidents to the local police station.
“The rules to be made under this Act, must also contain certain guidelines such as in which office will the applications for various registrations be submitted, what will be the formats of application for various registrations as well as various log books, what will be the qualification of manufacturers, construction agencies and maintenance agencies etc. and what will be expected from them, in addition to what will be the late fees. The general public should be made aware about these,” he stated.
