Cabinet to discuss law to ‘lift’ safety standards
5 Aug 2013 10:32 PM GMT
The Delhi government is bringing out a proposal on enactment of the Delhi Lifts and Escalators Bill 2013, which mandates strict inspection, licensing and scrapping of lifts more than 20 years old. The Bill is expected to be tabled before the cabinet meeting on Monday.
At a time when the Union urban development ministry is pushing for vertical growth, the Delhi government is unable to ensure safety of lifts installed in high-rises. Delhi has just 10 lift inspectors to check around 30,000 licensed lifts and over 1,500 escalators.
The Bill calls for installation of devices that prevent people from getting trapped between floors.
According to the proposal, it will also become mandatory for owners of lifts and escalators in public and commercial buildings to have third party insurance cover for users, apart from the technicians involved. Failure to do so may be punished with up to three months in jail or fine of Rs 1 lakh, or both. In case of a repetition of the offence, the fine many go up by
Rs 5,00 per day.
At a time when the Union urban development ministry is pushing for vertical growth, the Delhi government is unable to ensure safety of lifts installed in high-rises. Delhi has just 10 lift inspectors to check around 30,000 licensed lifts and over 1,500 escalators.
The Bill calls for installation of devices that prevent people from getting trapped between floors.
According to the proposal, it will also become mandatory for owners of lifts and escalators in public and commercial buildings to have third party insurance cover for users, apart from the technicians involved. Failure to do so may be punished with up to three months in jail or fine of Rs 1 lakh, or both. In case of a repetition of the offence, the fine many go up by
Rs 5,00 per day.
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