Travellers can carry 2 liquor bottles, says Delhi Metro

Earlier, liquor bottles were allowed only the network's Airport Express Line.

People travelling by the Delhi Metro can carry two sealed liquor bottles during their commute, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation said on Friday, stressing however that drinking aboard the popular public transit system is not allowed.

Consuming liquor inside the Metro premises, however, is still strictly prohibited. (HT Archive)

Only passengers travelling aboard the Airport Express Line could carry liquor bottles, said DMRC officials. This was expanded to all nine lines during a meeting in December last year, but this information only came to light when a Twitter user on Friday asked DMRC if carrying liquor bottles was allowed in the Metro.

“A committee comprising officials from CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) and DMRC have reviewed the list and as per the revised list, two sealed liquor bottles can be carried, per person, on the Delhi Metro, at par with the provisions on the Airport Express Line,” said Anuj Dayal, principal executive director, corporate communication, DMRC.

“However, drinking liquor inside the Metro premises is strictly prohibited,” Dayal added, stressing that inebriated passengers found misbehaving will face action.

While public order is important and no one should be allowed to disturb law-and-order, it is also true that liquor rakes in large amounts of revenue for governments and remains legal. The step, therefore, can be beneficial to citizens even though the authorities should keep a check on unlawful elements and those attempting to drink in public places.

Officials did not clarify why the decision was taken. However, the move will significantly ease travel for those shopping from nearby NCR cities.

Liquor stores in Delhi have, for months now, faced a crisis of options and stock, especially since the Capital’s 2021-22 excise policy was rolled back last August.

This has forced several customers in the Capital to buy their bottles from neighbouring Gurugram, where liquor is significantly cheaper and options more varied.

However, officials added the new Delhi Metro norms will not extend entirely to passengers travelling into Noida or Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh.

Excise norms in Uttar Pradesh prohibit more than one liquor bottle from being carried in from outside the state.

Uttar Pradesh officials warned commuters that excise norms in the state remain unchanged.

“We regularly check all road borders and conduct awareness drives at locations across the city. We will have to increase checking around Metro stations as the UP excise norms have not changed. People will have to be careful that while travelling with sealed alcohol bottles on Delhi Metro, they will have to get down in Delhi itself as it will be a criminal offence to travel across state borders,” said Subodh Srivastava, district excise officer, Gautam Budh Nagar (Noida).

Liquor is more expensive in Uttar Pradesh than Delhi.

Residents of the Capital, however, welcomed the move, calling it “long overdue”.

“This is a good move, because the prohibition forced us to take a cab or use other modes of travel, even if we bought a little for personal consumption. People travel long distances in Delhi and not everyone who is buying or consuming alcohol may want to spend it on other costlier transport modes,” said Namita Relan, an architecture student in Delhi.