The Tamil Nadu Lifts Rules, 1997 (1997)

What the Tamil Nadu Lifts Rules, 1997 govern

The Tamil Nadu Lifts Rules, 1997 apply across Tamil Nadu. They affect owners of premises with lifts, lift licensees, lift manufacturers, electrical and mechanical engineering companies, licensed electrical contractors and people proposing to install or alter a lift.

Permission to install or alter a lift

An owner proposing to install a lift, or add to or alter an existing lift, must apply to the Inspector in Form A. The application must include:

• Three signed copies of drawings showing the layout, plan, sectional elevation, doors, lift well, machinery, floors served, travel and electrical installation.
• The approval obtained from the relevant Corporation, Municipality or Town Panchayat for the building plan.
• A Government Treasury challan for the fee of Rs.500 for each lift.
• Signatures from the lift manufacturer or responsible engineering company and the licensed electrical contractor, where required.

The Inspector may seek further information and must grant permission in Form B or refuse it within one month. Permission shown in Form B is valid for six months. A lift cannot be operated merely because installation permission has been granted.

Licence and renewal requirements

After installation, the owner must notify the Inspector and apply in Form C for a working licence. The application requires completion reports, a Government Treasury challan for Rs.500 and an insurance policy covering people using the lift.

The Inspector must arrange an inspection within fifteen days. A licence may be granted in Form F after compliance with the Tamil Nadu Lifts Act, 1997 and the rules. Renewal must be sought in Form G three months before expiry, with a fee of Rs.500 and renewed insurance. Delay attracts an additional fee of Rs.50 for each lift for every month or part of a month.

Safety and owner responsibilities

A lift licensee must:

• Report operating defects immediately to the Inspector.
• Stop using a lift that is unsafe.
• Obtain permission before additions or alterations.
• Use an Inspector approved lift manufacturer or electrical and mechanical engineering company for maintenance.
• Ensure electrical work is performed by a licensed electrical contractor, except limited replacement work listed in the rules.
• Secure and electrically disconnect a lift that is no longer used.
• Follow applicable safety codes and specifications of the Bureau of Indian Standards.
• Report specified accidents in Form I to the officials identified under the Tamil Nadu Lifts Act, 1997.

A person affected by an Inspector's order or direction may appeal to the Chief Electrical Inspector to the Government of Tamil Nadu, enclosing a copy of the decision.