Metro commuters feel no frisking raises risk
Have you noticed that the security personnel don’t frisk you anymore at the various Metro stations in the city? The metal detectors and X-Ray baggage scanners are well in place, but the Metro authorities have done away with the frisking exercise saying that it leads to long queues at the stations.
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which handles Metro’s security, will now frisk only in case of suspicion. Considering Delhi Metro is on the hitlist of terror organisations, can the authorities afford not to frisk commuters? Delhiites doubt it.
Amit Trivedi, a market analyst, who commutes via Metro everyday to his workplace in Connaught Place, is surprised to see that these days he is not being “searched”. “I just place my bag on the conveyor belt, pick it up from the other end and hop on to the Metro. Earlier there used to be a long line of passengers and took at least 10 minutes to get done with it. It’s become simple but risky too,” he says.
Lawyer Shweta Mahant has a different story to tell. She says, “Commuters are not supposed to carry knives and other sharp articles. But just yesterday I saw a woman cutting an apple with a knife. More than being ridiculous, it is unsafe. I wonder what all can we bring to the Metro premise.”
Threat perception in India is quite high. People are used to such exercises and in the absence of them, the sense of being secure is not there. “Anybody can walk in with anything. I hope they resume frisking as Independence Day and Commonwealth Games are round the corner,” says Prateek Rawal.
When contacted, Anuj Dayal, DMRC spokesperson, said that security is CISF’s responsibility and he is not authorised to comment on it.
“Frisking might be restarted. Also, for the CWG there might be a different security arrangement,” a senior CISF official was quoted saying.
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