Elevator manufacturers in India are lobbying for a single nationwide elevator law, providing minimum safety standards and specifications in the vertical transport industry. The country recorded at least 28 deaths in elevator-related accidents in 2019.

Elevators are no longer luxury and have become a common feature in residential complexes in India. However, experts state that accidents have increased in parallel with the increasing number of elevators. Kone India General Manager Amit Gossain stated that although there is a progressive Elevator Law in some states such as Maharashtra and Karnataka, there is no national policy that enforces strict safety standards regarding the design, construction and installation of elevators. Gossani said a standard where elevators are inspected and operating licenses after installation is not common in all states. Lift licenses are issued in only 10 states in India.

What makes the situation even more complicated across India is that elevator manufacturers use subcontractors to install their products. Manish Mehan, Managing Director of ThyssenKrupp Elevator of India, stated that multinational manufacturers should take their subcontractors into their training programs before certification, and that the incorrect assembly of elevators caused accidents. Underlining the need to start assembly after the necessary training program, Mehan stated that accidents can be minimized.

On the other hand, according to the estimates of the industry professionals, there are between 600 and 1000 producers in India, the majority of which are small businesses. These small manufacturers account for about 35 percent of sales. In case of a tight elevator law, the enterprises of the producers whose capital structures are not sufficient to apply the necessary standards may be at risk.

Kaynak: The EconomicTimes