Unregulated Lift Installations Spark Concern in India

The tragic death of a 6-year-old boy who became trapped between a lift and elevator shaft wall in a Hyderabad apartment building prompted The Times of India (ToI) to take a deeper look at safety and standards in the state of Telangana. ToI reported on February 24 that the Telangana Elevators and Escalators Contractors Association said that approximately 80% of manufacturers install “substandard” lifts in Hyderabad. At least 400 of the total 500 small to medium-sized manufacturers in the area are supplying unsafe equipment as customers opt for cheaper alternatives that are often missing essential safety components. There is also no regulatory oversight, leading to faulty performance and potentially fatal accidents. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corp. has no lift inspectors to carry out annual inspections of vertical-transportation systems. With an increasing number of high-rise buildings in Hyderabad, it is essential that a Lift and Escalator Act (implemented in other states) is established in Telangana, state Fire and Emergency Services Director GV Narayana Rao said.