Anti-molestation measure: lifts to have glass doors soon

The state government would make it mandatory for lifts of high-rise buildings in residential areas to have glass doors, so that any untoward incident or crime against women can be prevented in time. Where lifts have ordinary non-transparent doors, the state government would make CCTV installation mandatory, the state assembly was told on Friday.

Minister for Public Works Chandrakant Patil and Minister for Power Chandrashekhar Bavankule told the Legislative Council that at present only multi-storeyed malls have been allowed to have lifts with glass doors. The Ministers were replying to a question raised by Congress MLC Anant Gadgil during the question hour.

Gadgil pointed to the instances of crime against women including molestation inside lifts, while asking a question about the small number of lift inspectors in the state.

Patil said that the government was in the process of recruiting lift inspectors; this would improve audits of lifts. Patil also said that while making it mandatory to have CCTVs installed in lifts which do not have transparent doors, it would also be ensured that lifts would emit a loud beeping sound if too many people were crammed into them.