Following a recent incident in which the lives of people including school children were jeopardized due to breakage of a chairlift wire in Battagram, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Wednesday decided to ensure the safety of chairlifts across the province. In response to the incident where an open cable car in Battagram was left stranded due to a cable snap, leaving 8 people including school chil-dren suspended for over 15 hours, the government has issued a comprehensive set of guidelines to enhance safety measures.
Under the directive, deputy commissioners from all districts have been instructed to conduct thorough inspections of chairlifts. This inspection mandate covers chairlifts in both commercial and residential areas, as well as those operating in entertainment establishments. Particular emphasis has been placed on the swift examination of chairlifts located within entertainment venues.
This scrutiny aims to guarantee strict adherence to safety protocols. Special consideration will be given to chairlifts spanning over rivers and streams, ne-cessitating a meticulous evaluation of their struc-tural soundness. The scope of the directive also encompasses an evaluation of the design, capacity, and safety features of all chairlifts within the prov-ince. With a paramount concern for public safety, the provincial government underscores the impor-tance of adhering to established safety standards, especially during adverse weather conditions such as storms and lightning.
To ensure effective regulation of chairlift opera-tions, acquiring a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the district administration has been made man-datory. This step is intended to reinforce account-ability and ensure the consistent implementation of proper safety measures. In an effort to expedite these safety improvements, the provincial govern-ment has set a deadline for the submission of a comprehensive report on chairlifts across the prov-ince.
