Some people were not hot and bothered by the steamy weather, but the breakdown of several outdoor escalators.

Many outdoor escalators in Shanghai were out of service these days due to the heat and man-made damage, but municipal authorities don't know what to do except fix the people movers.

An escalator beside Brilliance South Shopping Mall in Minhang District has been out of service for more than two weeks. It is beside Lianhua Road Station on Metro Line No. 1 and many people with heavy luggage want to use it.

"The escalators has been repaired many times since it was put in use in 2003," said a newspaper vendor, who only identified himself as Huang. "It almost never works normally."

The authority explained that an important bearing does not work in one of the three escalators and that the manufacturer was contacted to fix it.

"We have repaired it many times, but the result was not effective," said Tu Yishao, an employee from facilities management section of Minhang government.

Tu said the hot weather causes more escalators to break down.

"Originally we planned to stop them when the temperature is above 35 degrees Celsius," he said. "But too many people need it so we had to keep it running, which increases the possible damage."

Although the escalator beside No. 6 Department Store in Xujiahui is working well nowadays, it sometimes breaks down in the rain or on hot days.

"The escalator helps a lot, especially in summer," said Tao Yun, a passer-by who uses the escalator almost every day. "But when it broke down, people have to use the stairs. It's inconvenient."

An official blamed the breakdowns on the weather and human destruction.

"Sometimes thieves steal steel parts from the escalators," said Zhou Ye, deputy director of the maintenance management section of the Xuhui District Urban Engineering Bureau.

The Shanghai Urban Engineering Management Office said most escalators are maintained by district authorities.

(Shanghai Daily August 7, 2006)