Unlicensed operation of lifts, escalators continues in district

Two years after the framing of the Kerala Lifts and Escalators Rules, making licence mandatory for operating lifts and escalators, 1,558 lifts and escalators continue to be operated without licence in the district.

The Department of Electrical Inspectorate has so far issued licence to operate 1,248 lifts and escalators in the district. The grace period given by the department for building owners to comply with the provisions of the rules had long expired.

However, the authorities are in a dilemma over invoking provisions in the rules calling for disconnection of power to lifts and escalators that are being operated without licence. Most of the violations are in multi-storied flats and apartment complexes and disconnecting the power to lifts could cause inconvenience to the occupants. So, the department is now banking mostly on creating awareness besides insisting on licence during the annual inspection of lifts and escalators.

Many lifts continue to have collapsible doors, which, according to the rule, should be replaced by imperforated doors. But the building owners are reluctant to make the change.

Unlike many other States in the country, Kerala didn’t have an exclusive law governing the installation and operation of lifts and escalators. Earlier, the Department of Electrical Inspectorate gave permission for operating lifts or escalators along with all other electrical installations in a building.

A one-time permission was enough to operate lifts and escalators. But as per the new rules, the licence is valid for only a year after which the building owner will have to get it renewed by applying in a prescribed form with a fee of Rs. 1,000.

The rules stipulate that supply to the lift or escalator shall be disconnected on failure to apply for renewal one month after the date of expiry of the licence except where the licencee file an application in form ‘G’ along with a fee of Rs. 2,000 for each lift or escalator.

The conditions governing the erection of lifts and escalators had also been made more stringent.

Most of the violations are in multi-storied flats and apartment complexes.