Three Hotel Lifts Sealed After IAS Officer’s Wife, Two Others Get Trapped In Bhopal

Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh: A lift at The Courtyard by Marriott hotel stalled mid-air on Sunday morning, trapping the wife of a senior IAS officer, a medical doctor and a hospital staff member for nearly 25 minutes. The incident occurred around 10:40 am as the four guests headed to a medical conference held at the property. Following reports of the mishap, the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) dispatched a team comprising officials from fire brigade, electrical and health departments to the hotel.

Upon arrival, the BMC team managed to rescue the three individuals and subsequently inspected the hotel's safety and maintenance conditions. During the inspection, it was discovered that the lift did not possess an Automatic Rescue Device (ARD) and the lift's monthly maintenance had not been performed. The last inspection had taken place on May 29, while the scheduled maintenance deadline of August 31 had already expired.

The investigation also revealed fire safety lapses and non-compliance with established safety standards at the hotel. The health department of BMC separately examined the hotel's food license and related documents. In light of the safety violations and non-compliance, the BMC promptly sealed three lifts at the hotel.

BMC Commissioner Sanskriti Jain announced plans for a citywide inspection drive of multi-storey buildings, hotels, commercial complexes and hospitals across Bhopal. She stated that lift maintenance, Automatic Rescue Device systems and safety certificates would be rigorously checked. The corporation assured that direct legal action and sealing measures would be taken against any establishment found negligent or in violation of safety regulations.