Telangana, Andhra Pradesh skip lift safety

Hyderabad: Despite frequent elevator mishaps, including collapse of lifts, leading to injuries and sometimes death in both states, neither TS nor AP has a Lift Act on the lines of Mumbai and Delhi and other states, or rules like Haryana to control and give licence to lift manufacturers and installers. Mushrooming apartments and high-rises, both in the residential and commercial sectors, have led to the use of elevators on a large scale. In most cases, builders install lifts that are assembled using poor quality parts to save money, but these put the lives of people at risk..

Tuesday’s lift collapse in Trimulgherry is one such example. Nearly 3000 lifts are sold every year in the twin cities, but 50 per cent of them are locally made and the companies do not provide proper maintenance. Lift Acts lay down provisions for regulating construction, maintenance and safe working of certain classes of lifts and all machinery pertaining to lifts.

The Haryana government has made it mandatory for lift operating agencies to install an Automatic Rescue Device (ARD) — a passenger safety equipment — in the elevators. While big companies like Johnson, Otis, Hyundai, Schneider etc. supply elevators in the city, many local companies acquire spare parts from different places like Jeedimetla, Ranigunj and assemble them. These lifts are sold much cheaper than the branded ones.

The Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department of Andhra Pradesh had issued an order in 2012 mentioning fire and electrical safety measures, but there was nothing about the safety or maintenance of lifts. The Andhra Pradesh Apartments (Promotion of Construction and Ownership) Act, 1987, mentions the measures to be taken, including electrical fittings, during the installation of a lift. But there is no mention about the safety and maintenance of lifts. “We work according to the Hyderabad Municipal Act. After the completion of the construction process, we inspect the structure for necessary fire and electrical safety measures and other amenities like water and drainage systems. If those are in place, we issue the Occupancy Certificate,” said a senior official from the Town Planning Wing, GHMC.

The Town Planning department does not take any responsibility for lifts and related issues. Maintenance of lifts and their safety is the sole responsibility of the builder or the Apartment Welfare Association. No statutory agency is involved in this. There is also no mandatory requirement for a builder to apply for permission from a government body  to install a lift in a structure.