Mumbai, March 4 : Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday announced that the Maharashtra government will further improve the lift inspection system to facilitate quicker evacuations during emergencies.

"There are currently about 2.10 lakh lifts operating in the state, and 25,000 new lifts have been approved recently. At present, limited staff are responsible for inspecting all lifts. The government has therefore decided to create 519 new posts, as it is not possible to inspect such a large number of lifts with the existing manpower. However, considering the increasing number of lifts, these posts may also become insufficient in the future," he said.

He was replying to a question raised by members Niranjan Davkhare and Sachin Ahir regarding the regular maintenance and repair of emergency lifts in housing societies across the state.

He informed the House that the state government will implement comprehensive reforms to make the emergency lift inspection system in the state more efficient.

CM Fadnavis said the government intends to establish an authorised and recognised third-party system for elevator inspections, similar to the accredited third-party audit system for fire safety that has been introduced in Mumbai.

Through this system, it will be mandatory to conduct technical inspections and display valid inspection certificates inside elevators. It will also be necessary to maintain a clear record in elevators indicating when each lift was inspected and the validity of the certification, he added.

The Chief Minister said that a bill has been introduced in the state legislature during the ongoing Budget Session to enhance the powers of the concerned officers for lift inspections. Considering the increasing number of lifts, further amendments may be required in the future, he noted.

CM Fadnavis further announced that a high-level committee will be constituted to determine maintenance standards for elevators, inspection frequency, technical norms and the responsibilities of elevator manufacturing companies.

The committee will include the Commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), commissioners of other municipal corporations and officials from the electricity department. The committee will be given a clear mandate, and a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for elevator inspections will be prepared within the next six months, he said.

Meanwhile, responding to another question on private moneylenders and microfinance, the Chief Minister said there are two types of moneylenders in the state -- licensed private lenders and illegal operators.

All loans issued by illegal moneylenders are unlawful, and citizens should feel free to lodge complaints in such cases, as the government will support them, he said.

CM Fadnavis added that if licensed moneylenders collect interest beyond the prescribed rate or violate regulatory provisions, action will be taken against them.

"Full relief will be provided to the affected individuals, and if necessary, criminal action will be initiated by cancelling the moneylenderâ??s licence," he said.

/IANS