Uttar Pradesh CM: Lift and Escalator Safety Law To Be Enacted

Yogi Adityanath, chief minister (CM) of the state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) in northern India, said his government will enact the UP Lifts and Escalators Act, a “first-ever” law that would require annual maintenance and registration of vertical-transportation (VT) equipment, compensation for passengers injured in VT accidents and penalties for scofflaws, Hindustan Times is among outlets to report. During a high-level meeting on December 25, 2023, the CM emphasized the importance of lift and escalator safety, especially for the elderly, children and people with mobility issues, in light of increasing incidents in Lucknow and elsewhere in the state. Adityanath said the law would make it mandatory to install an automatic rescue device, or ARD, in elevators, so passengers who are trapped in the event of a power outage can be safely transported to the nearest floor. Emergency bells, video surveillance systems, passenger communication systems and adequate lighting would also be required.