Elevator policy upgrade: Maha government to monitor moving walkways and escalators, too

The Act was cleared in the state Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, and will be presented before the state legislature during the winter session

In a bid to curb accidents, the state government has decided to regulate installation and maintenance of lifts, escalators and moving walkways in structures. This means people will need licences to install and operate them and that they will be inspected at regular intervals.

In a bid to curb accidents, the state government has decided to regulate installation and maintenance of lifts, escalators and moving walkways in structures. (HT File)

As per the Maharashtra Lifts Act, 1939, the state government issues permissions for installing lifts but the Act doesn’t include escalators and moving walkways since it was quite old. Now those who have already installed escalators and moving walkways without any permission or inspection in the absence of law will also have to apply for operating licence from the electrical inspector within six months once the Act comes in to effect.

Building owners will also have to make third-party insurance of elevators, escalators and travelators so that, in case of accidents, affected people can be compensated.

The state is coming up with a new legislation — Maharashtra Lifts, Escalators and Moving Walks Act, 2017 — to implement these rules. The Act was cleared in the state Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, and it will now be presented before the state legislature during the winter session.

The officials said the government has determined 20 years as age of newly-installed lifts, escalators and moving walkways, which can be renewed for the next five years. Moreover, inspectors can order repairs, if found necessary, and are authorised to suspend licences. “Those found guilty of violating the laws will be fined up to Rs50,000. They will also have to pay Rs1,000 every day they are found continuing the violations. The law will also be applicable to government buildings,” the officer said. The government will also charge a fee for issuing permissions, licence and holding inspections. The fees is yet to be determined, he added.

However, the state government was also facing difficulty in regulating installation and maintenance of lifts in the absence of substantial staff, which again will be a tough task, officials revealed.

The state already has lift inspectors whose job is to certify the lifts and inspect them at regular intervals. It is not clear whether and how many more inspectors will be added. The proposed law says the government will appoint electrical inspectors for implementing the provisions.