The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday sought a response from the State government on whether rules and regulations had been framed for the safety and security of the people visiting amusement parks.
A Division Bench of Justices Pushpa Sathyanarayana and S. Srimathy impleaded Secretary of Tamil Nadu Tourism Department as party to the case. The court sought response with regard to first aid, doctors available at the amusement parks and the periodical maintenance of such parks.
The court sought the response on a public interest litigation petition filed by J. Razul Mydeen of Palayamkottai, Tirunelveli district. She said that there were no specific laws governing the amusement parks in India though licences and safety audits were mandatory.
To ensure the safety and stability of rides, permanent theme parks follow detailed guidelines formulated by the Indian Association of Amusement Parks and Industries. These guidelines have been adopted by the Bureau of Indian Standards, she said.
While the certification provided by the Bureau was valuable, it was not mandatory. In many places, the government agencies do not have experts to inspect rides and ensure that the standards are met, she said.
According to the Indian Association of Amusement Parks and Industries, the ratio of victims of the major joyride accidents to visitors was among the lowest in the world. However, many fatal accidents in amusement parks have taken place in the recent past in India, she said.
She said that in Tirunelveli too amusement rides were being operated in hotel premises. This was a safety threat to the people. No norms were followed and people’s lives were at stake, she said and sought a direction to the authorities to take necessary action. The court adjourned the hearing in the case by four weeks.
