Pvt agency to certify lifts soon

New Delhi: The AAP government has decided to authorise private agencies to test and certify elevators in the national capital due to acute staff crunch in the labour department. Sources said that as per a rough estimate, there were nearly 50,000 elevators in Delhi, but the department had only around 12 inspectors to test and certify them.

The department has issued a notification authorising individuals to verify the installation of elevators in all the buildings in the city except the ones owned by DDA and PWD. According to the government, the owner of every building, which has an elevator, will have to get it tested and certified from an authorised agency once a year.

“In view of a staff crunch, it has been decided to authorise private agencies to test and certify the installation of elevators in all the buildings in the city,” a government official said.

He added that the decision was also influenced by the government’s policy on ease of doing business as now, the building owners will not have to visit the offices of the department to get the elevators certified. “Once an elevator is tested or certified, the agency will have to inform the labour department about it within a month,” the official said.

The government has also warned of strict action if there is any lapse on the part of the agency in testing and certifying the elevators. “The government may also suspend or revoke the authorisation whenever there are reasons for doing so, after giving a reasonable opportunity in writing to the authorised person (licence-holder),” the notification stated.

It also added that the licence holder should possess a degree or diploma in electrical or mechanical engineering or its equivalent from a recognised university or institution with at least five years of experience.

According to the sources, though the number of elevators has grown from 30,000 to 50,000 in the last two years, the number of inspectors has remained constant.