Delhi Metro passengers may no longer be able to carry two bottles of alcohol from other cities like Gurgaon or Noida as the excise department Monday flagged concerns with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), asking it to change the rules to permit just one bottle. Officials pointed out that as per the Delhi Excise Act, only 1 litre per person, aged 25 or above, is allowed to be carried from other states into Delhi and 2 litres from other countries. The bottle should also be sealed. According to a senior official, the excise rules also state that the quantity should not be measured in bottles but in litres. “A typical liquor bottle, be it whisky or vodka or rum, is 750 ml. Two bottles make it 1.5 litres, which is not permitted,” the official said. Till June, carrying alcohol on the Delhi Metro was not allowed, except on the Airport Express Line. On June 30, the DMRC announced that commuters can carry two sealed bottles on all lines after a review committee, composed of officials from the DMRC and Central Industrial Security Force, revised the list of prohibited items which banned carrying alcohol earlier. Sources claimed the DMRC did not consult the excise department before going ahead with the announcement. “In such cases, the excise department should be informed and consulted, but the DMRC did not do so,” said sources. Pointing out that they got to know about this order through media reports, a senior official from the excise department said, “We got in touch with the DMRC and asked them to take corrective action as per the Delhi Excise Act, which permits 1 litre per person from outside the state. Hopefully, they will take action soon.” In response, the DMRC said “the decision on what items are permitted for carriage on the Delhi Metro is based upon permissibility by the security agency in charge of handling the same for the DMRC”. “Passengers are expected to follow extant rules and regulations of the state excise department concerned with regard to carrying liquor during cross-border transit. However, the concern of the excise department will be conveyed to the security agency to examine accordingly,” said Anuj Dayal, principal executive director, corporate communications, DMRC. Following the announcement, officials from Noida had also clarified that the current rule permits import of only one unsealed bottle from Delhi or Haryana, whether by the metro or via road.
