The Hindu 27.08.2009
Notices for lifts without licence in city
K. Lakshmi
— Photo: S.S. Kumar 
An official pasting a notice on a building.
CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Electrical Inspectorate is serving notices on buildings in the city where lifts are being operated without licence.
An official of the Electrical Inspectorate said, “We have identified about 1,000 lifts, whose licences have not been renewed, and 500 that are being operated without licence. It is for the first time that such a drive is being conducted. Earlier, we placed advertisements in the media cautioning owners of such buildings,” the official said.
Nearly 40 notices have been put up in buildings, including residential structures, at K.K.Nagar, Virugambakkam, Kodambakkam and Ashok Nagar since Tuesday. According to the notice, lift owners are advised to operate the facility after obtaining licence under the Tamil Nadu Lifts Act 1997 within two months.
According to the official, there are nearly 7,000 licensed lifts in the city. Licences of only 30-40 per cent of lifts had been renewed. “We also carry out inspection of lifts in use for which permission have not been obtained based on petitions received by the department,” the official said.
As per the Tamil Nadu Lifts Act 1997, the defaulters would be levied a penalty up to Rs.1,000 and those who continue to flout the rules would have to pay Rs.50 for every additional day of use, another official said.
