The Allahabad High Court has directed the Principal Secretary (Urban Development) to take a comprehensive look at the regulatory mechanism existing in the state for installation and licensing of lifts and escalators in high rise buildings and inform it about the same by August 5, the next date of hearing. The court added that in case of lack of a legal mechanism, the Principal Secretary should explain the steps being taken to introduce them in the state. A division bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta passed the order on Wednesday on a PIL filed by one Alok Kumar. The PIL said while a large number of high-rises were being constructed in the state, there was absence of regulatory regime for installation, maintenance and licensing of lifts/ escalators. [related-post] The court said: “At this stage, we deem it appropriate and proper to direct the Principal Secretary (Urban Development) to take a comprehensive look at the matter and to file an affidavit before this court explaining the existing legal provisions, if any, which operate within the state and, if there are no such provisions, what steps the state intends to take in order to ensure the safety of lift users in high-rise buildings.” The Principal Secretary has been given time till August 5 to file a counter affidavit.
