Old-style elevators can be compared to symbols of socialism — they do not discriminate between people. If lifts are not maintained properly, they can become dangerous to anyone, regardless of status or position. Recent incidents have once again highlighted this harsh reality.
In Karimnagar, Telangana minister Adluri Laxman Kumar visited a private hospital to meet a farmer undergoing treatment. After the minister entered the elevator and it started moving upward, the lift rope suddenly snapped, causing the elevator to crash down. Fortunately, the minister escaped with minor injuries and was treated at the same hospital.
In another incident, some leaders of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi gathered for a meeting at an apartment complex named Geethu Apartments in Dollar Hills, Puppalguda. After the meeting, while they were descending in the elevator, the lift reportedly fell from the fourth floor. Two people suffered leg fractures in the accident.
A more tragic incident occurred due to poor elevator maintenance in which a five-year-old girl lost her life. At the Mahi Women’s PG Hostel in Gowlidoddi, an elderly couple from Jharkhand worked as cooks. Their five-year-old granddaughter, Bistu Ghosh, became trapped between the elevator door and the grill, suffering severe head injuries that resulted in her death.
These repeated incidents clearly show that old elevators can become extremely dangerous if they are not properly maintained and serviced regularly. Whether in apartments, hospitals, hostels, or commercial buildings, negligence in elevator maintenance can lead to serious injuries and even loss of life.
Regular inspection, timely servicing, and strict adherence to safety standards are essential to prevent such accidents. Elevator safety should never be ignored under any circumstances, said Avinash, President, Telangana elevators association. Despite repeated lift accidents in Telangana, criticism is growing over the delay in implementing the Telangana Lift Act 2015. Safety expert Avinash said that after Andhra Pradesh approved its Lift and Escalator Bill last year, Telangana must urgently enforce strict lift maintenance and inspection regulations to prevent further tragedies.