Security shrinks with increase in passengers

The huge rush in Delhi Metro is now beginning to tell. After choc-a-bloc trains and regular technical glitches, the ever-increasing number of passengers is now affecting security arrangements as well.

The huge rush in Delhi Metro is now beginning to tell. After choc-a-bloc trains and regular technical glitches, the ever-increasing number of passengers is now affecting security arrangements as well.

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Security personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) deployed at Delhi Metro stations have stopped checking passengers with hand-held metal detectors, a key part of the whole security drill.

The reason — batteries of these metal detectors are losing charge within hours after the first metro trains start rolling out in the morning.

CISF, which is in charge of Delhi Metro's stations and trains, have now stopped using these devices altogether and passengers have to go through pat down checks.

"For more than a month, CISF personnel at Metro stations have been frisking passengers instead of using metal detectors," said Prateek Sharma, a Mukherjee Nagar resident.

CISF cites the spurt in number of passengers behind this seeming gaffe.

"We have stopped using hand-held metal detectors because their batteries were getting discharged very soon," said CISF spokesman Rohit Katiyar.

More than 15 lakh people travel by the Metro every day ever since Noida and Gurgaon were added to the metro network.

But he added that unavailability of metal detectors has not compromised security at metro stations and trains.

"We have now started pat down checks instead, which also ensures that no one can conceal metal objects," he said.

The DMRC spokesperson wasn't available for comments despite repeated attempts.