New law for better safety compliance in lifts

Delhi Government today decided to bring a new legislation to ensure better safety compliance in installation and maintenance of lifts, escalators and walk ways in the city.
A meeting of Delhi Cabinet presided by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit approved draft of the Delhi Lifts and Escalators Bill, 2013 which provides for stricter norms for testing and certification of lifts, escalators and walk ways and penalty for the violators.
The Bill will be sent to Union Government for approval. After getting nod from the Centre, the Bill will be tabled in Delhi Assembly.
"We are bringing the bill as we felt there is a need for better periodical inspection, testing and certification of lifts and escalators in the city," Dikshit said.

Currently, inspection of lifts are done as per provision of the Bombay Lifts Act, 1939.
Officials said the proposed legislation provides for stricter penalty for the violators of the provisions.

The Cabinet has also decided to upgrade the status of workers engaged in de-silting and cleaning of sewer lines, under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948.
As per the Cabinet decision, the worker engaged in manually cleaning of sewer lines would now be termed as semi-skilled workers instead of unskilled workers.
They would now get minimum wages of Rs 8,528 per month against current salary of Rs 7,722 per month.
Similarly, the workers engaged in mechanical cleaning of sewer lines would now be termed as skilled workers instead of unskilled workers. They would be getting Rs 9,386 per month as against current salaty of Rs 7,722.