Metro bar on bag size raises eyebrows

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC)’s move to restrict the carrying of large baggage by fixing steel frames at the X-ray baggage machines at select stations has not gone down well with travellers going to the airport, railway stations and ISBTs. People travelling to such stations carry multiple and very large bags.

They said the move will force them to use some other modes of transport to reach their destinations. Metro commuter Akash Bajaj said, “This step has major ramifications as passengers travelling to the airport, railway station or ISBTs will not be able to travel as they carry large bags for the journey.

“This will cause unnecessary hassles for airport-bound passengers and will force them to use some other modes of transport to reach their destination. Also, the new rule should be advertised widely so that people rushing to airports and railways stations are well-informed,” Bajaj said.

However, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on Monday defended the decision of the DMRC to proscribe large bags at selected stations, saying that the move is to ensure safety and security of the commuters. The decision has been taken in the light of Intelligence intercepts and security considerations, they said.

The Delhi Metro has fixed steel frames at the X-ray baggage machines at five large stations at Chandni Chowk, Anand Vihar, Shahdara, Kashmere Gate and Barakhamba, stating that the passengers “can carry maximum luggage limit of length 60 cm, width 45 cm and height 25 cm”. The maximum luggage weight of a single bag has also been capped at 15 kg, said a Metro official.

“The order has been recommended in consultation with the DMRC. The step is being taken in terms of security threat,” said Hemendra Singh, the Public Relations Officer of CISF.

“The step is also being taken to curb people from carrying loads of luggage as it is the case for labourers. The idea behind the step is also to make it easier for other

commuters who get stuck in the middle of huge cartons,” Singh added.

A senior CISF officer said the measure has been put in place on trial basis and to test the new mechanism and it will be implemented at all the stations once the feedback is compiled and analysed.

The trial has been initiated as heavy bags and luggage were making it difficult for the X-ray screeners to scrupulously check the contents of the bags against sabotage and terror threats and was also leading to the breakdown of the scanners, the official said.

“Heavy and very heavy bags are leading to two kinds of problems. At big and inter-change stations like Chandni Chowk and Kashmere Gate, the baggage line is so engaged that to concentrate on all the contents of the bag is very hard. This is a possible security scare,” another official said.

The second reason, he said, was that the X-ray machines quite routinely broke down and they required frequent servicing.

“At such times, the jawans had to scan the bags manually for a long time and that again is a security scare. One miss in this procedure and the results could be disastrous,” he said.

Hence, the official said it has been decided to get a trial done and assess if restricting the dimensions and weight of the bags eases the situation and there is no compromise on security.

The trial will also help in finding out how the X-ray machines function now, the official said.

The steel frames, put on X-ray machines at five stations, have been mounted externally and can be detached later, if the trial suggests that this measure will not work and that it troubles passengers.