2 schoolgirls stuck in lift, flay HPTDC for slack approach

Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 22

Two schoolgirls were stuck in a lift run by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) following a snag yesterday and the incident has not gone down well with the district administration.

Acting tough, Shimla Deputy Commissioner Amit Kashyap met the lift staff today and learnt that the clerical, not technical, staff were operating the elevator. He also directed the SDM to probe the matter. The official found that there was no voltage stabiliser and in case of low voltage, people could get stuck in the lift.

Strangely, the lift staff did not come to know that the girls were trapped in the lift. It was only after a fire brigade team reached the spot that they got to know about the incident.

“We will take up the issue with the HPTDC as on an average about 7,000-8,000 persons use the lift every day and the issue is serious,” Kashyap said.

Two girls were trapped in the lift and they tried to inform the authorities by calling on emergency helpline numbers 100 and 101. They said the attendant put the emergency number of the police on hold, but the fire brigade staff immediately reached the spot and rescued them.

The girls said the HPTDC should act responsibly. “It should be available in emergency cases,” they added.

The incident

• Two schoolgirls got stuck in the lift. They tried to inform the authorities by calling on emergency helpline numbers 100 and 101, but could not get through as the attendant put the emergency number of the police on hold.
• They then called the fire brigade, which immediately reached the spot and rescued them.