The Delhi Metro emphasised that the excise rules of the respective States prevail regarding the allowance for commuters to carry two sealed liquor bottles on Delhi Metro trains and asked people to ensure compliance with regulations, especially during cross border travel.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) had in June last year allowed carrying two sealed liquor bottles per person in the Metro trains, eliciting the Delhi Government's objection that it was against the excise rules.
The DMRC trains operate in the National Capital Region (NCR) covering Delhi as well as cities like Faridabad, Gurugram in Haryana and Ghaziabad and Noida in Uttar Pradesh. DMRC Managing Director Vikas Kumar said, "Whatever the Delhi government has authorised us is (permitted). The excise rules of the particular state prevail."
As per the Excise Act, only one sealed bottle of liquor like rum, vodka and whisky could be carried from one state to another, said a senior Excise department officer. The Metro trains ferry commuters between Delhi and NCR cities like Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon and Faridabad, and allowing two sealed bottles to be carried by any person will be in violation of the Act, the officer added.
DMRC Principal Executive Director Anuj Dayal said, "We are not specifying either one or two whatever number of bottles are permitted. Since we are operating in Delhi, UP and Haryana and whatever is the excise law of the state, it will prevail."
The Metro train passengers are expected to follow existing rules and regulations of the concerned state excise departments with regard to carrying liquor during cross-border transit, the DMRC said. "If a commuter boards a train in Delhi with two liquor bottles and is headed to UP then he should understand that he has two follow the excise rule of that state. So, if only one liquor bottle is allowed, he should carry just one," said Kumar.
The Delhi government's Excise department had sent a notice to the DMRC after it permitted commuters to carry two sealed liquor bottles in the Metro trains last year. Earlier, carrying alcohol was banned in the Delhi Metro trains except on the Airport Express Line. The Delhi Metro was asked by the Excise department in its notice to change the relaxation of carrying two bottles of liquor to one so that it did not constitute a violation of the Excise Act.
