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feature

feature

I

t’s morning peak hour at London’s Heathrow

Airport, and every elevator to the departures level

is out of order –

all

of them, all at once. If the word

“pandemonium” springs to mind, you get the picture.

This was the “shocking” scene that greeted KONE

service technician

Nigel Stride

on arrival at work

one Monday morning. All four priority elevators in

Terminal 1 were not responding because contractors

working overnight had interrupted the controls.

Crowds arriving on the Heathrow Express train link

built up quickly. Beads of perspiration trickled down

Stride’s forehead as hundreds of nail-biting travelers jostled

around him.

“It was a quick fix in the end, but that was the most

stressful quarter hour I’ve ever experienced,” says Stride.

He and 41 other engineers and technicians look after the

airport’s 1,035 elevators, escalators and autowalks, keeping

Heathrow running like clockwork around the clock.

UNDERCOVER POLICE

With 191,000 people passing through Heathrow daily,

there’s rarely a dull moment. “Every breakdown has

immediate impact. If something goes wrong, it’s all hands

at the pump to get the unit up and running as quickly as

possible,” says Stride.

He describes the equipment in the airport as the “critical

link” connecting the city to the departure gates and the

world beyond. “Without that key part in the middle, the

whole jigsaw falls to pieces.”

A minor disturbance can have a major domino effect.

“Airlines don’t wait for late passengers these days. If

someone misses a flight due to faulty equipment, it impacts

many lives.”

Though safety is an absolute priority for KONE crews, this

goes double at the airport. “We can’t leave sharp tools lying

around because of the security risks. We’re even required to

look out for unattended items and people behaving suspi-

ciously. We’re an extra pair of eyes for security personnel.”

Even with barriers placed around the worksite, Stride

takes special precautions when working amid large crowds

in confined spaces. “With luggage everywhere and excited

children running around, things can turn nasty quickly.”

Doors account for a large percentage of repairs, he

reveals. Damage is typically caused by customers who crash

into elevators with luggage trolleys or disabled buggies.

“Once there was a man – who had perhaps enjoyed too

much inflight entertainment – who drove his car into the

elevator in front of the lobby. We managed to repair the

elevator, but the car was pretty much a wreck.”

KEEPING DELHI ON TRACK

If a delay at Heathrow can wreak havoc in London, the

same applies exponentially in the Delhi Metro, which is

used by 26 million commuters daily. Keeping this artery

unclogged is the job of Technical Support Engineer

Bhagwati Prasad Bhatt

, who answers for the smooth

operation of 264 elevators and 75 escalators.

“Many differently abled persons and senior citizens are

totally dependent on us to reach their destinations. In the

worst-case scenario, they would have to be carried out in

wheelchairs via ramps,” he says.

The safety and comfort of Delhi’s millions of commuters

are ensured by KONE’s efficient preventive maintenance.

Technicians perform regular maintenance checks at

specified intervals, following a rigorous checklist.

“We constantly update our technical know-how and

carefully analyze every callout to plan improvement actions.

Audits and continuous training are also a big part of our

safety culture.”

To minimize inconvenience to commuters, maintenance

is always carried out at night. “Providing the necessary

resources for night work is our biggest challenge,” says

Bhatt, who makes himself available 24/7.

Due to the nonstop torrent of commuters, speed is of the

essence on daytime callouts. A broken escalator handrail at

Chandni Chowk station was one of Bhatt’s most memorable

“fast fixes.” “Replacing a handrail quickly is always a big

challenge. It normally takes about 12 hours, but thanks to

efficient planning, we finished the job in 10.”

BANGKOK NEVER STOPS

The Thai metropolis is reliant on elevators to maintain

its nonstop momentum. “My role is very important in

keeping our megacity’s wheels greased,” says KONE Service

Supervisor

Sutee Sopajaree

.

He and his team take care of 182 units for 15 major

customers around Bangkok, one of which is The River, an

exclusive 868-apartment riverfront residential complex on

the Chao Phraya River, where 1,500 residents are served

by 15 elevators. A lengthy breakdown would meet with an

instant outcry from these quality-conscious homeowners.

“Before things turn bad, we get in and solve the problem

“Replacing a

handrail quickly

normally takes about

12 hours, but thanks

to efficient planning,

we finished

the job in 10.”

Bhagwati Prasad

Bhatt at work at

Delhi Metro station.

Nigel Stride

at London’s

Heathrow Airport.

PHOTO

JEREMY O’DONNELL

PHOTO

MANPREET ROMANA

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