Metro stations: New frisking booths for women

Amid complaints of privacy by women commuters in Delhi Metro, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has finalised new frisking booths, which will be placed at Metro stations across the National Capital Region (NCR).

Amid complaints of privacy by women commuters in Delhi Metro, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has finalised new frisking booths, which will be placed at Metro stations across the National Capital Region (NCR). CISF, which is responsible for the security of Metro stations, has suggested structural changes in the existing frisking booths to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). DMRC will be procuring these booths after the tendering process.

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The new booths will be covered with curtains at the entry point and the remaining part will be covered with walls made of fibre. If required, these booths can be shifted from one location to another. “We have been receiving complaints from women passengers for quite some time. One of the major issues they had was people watching them when they were getting frisked. At many Metro stations, there are temporary frisking booths and we have asked the DMRC to replace them,” said a senior CISF official, requesting anonymity.

“At a few stations there is not much space but we are working it out. Now every Metro station will have a booth of similar design unlike the current plan where they have separate booths for separate stations,” he added. Another issue, which was also raised by women commuters, was about their baggage getting stolen while they were being frisked. This too has been addressed.

According to CISF, 50 per cent of Metro stations have this problem where frisking and screening of women passengers and their baggage are done at separate points. Over 20 lakh commuters travel by the Delhi Metro every day and 40 per cent of them are women..