Nagpur: The state assembly on Thursday passed the Maharashtra Lifts, Escalators and Moving Walks bill which will ensure that people who use escalators and elevators will be covered under third party insurance by the owner in case of an accident. The bill has restricted life span of lifts of escalators to twenty years.
Minister for energy Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the Maharashtra Lifts Act 1939 hadn’t been amended for past 78 years. The bill was passed in the Assembly without any discussion. It will now be sent to the Council on Friday, the last day of winter session.
The Bill makes ‘Third Party Insurance’ mandatory to the owner of the lift, escalator or moving walk. It has also mentioned the lift, escalator company may be prosecuted and held liable for the punishment under this Act in case of an accident occurs in the lift or escalator due to malfunctioning of any of the safety provision.
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The Bill further states that whoever contravenes any of the provisions of this Act or rules or condition of license or electrical inspector shall be punished with a fine up to Rs 50,000 if conviction.
The new Act also makes it mandatory for buildings that have escalators to obtain a license in retrospect
