The Excise department of the government sent a letter to the DMRC on October 6, urging them to take action regarding this matter, as confirmed by a senior Delhi government official. A similar request was made by the Excise department in a letter to the DMRC on August 3.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla travels in Delhi Metro to reach P20 Summit venue
In response, the DMRC issued a statement, saying, “We have received a letter from the Excise department, which is being examined, considering certain clarifications requested earlier by DMRC. We operate in regions that span different states, and we need to ensure compliance with local regulations.”
In June of this year, the DMRC had decided to allow passengers to carry two sealed bottles of alcohol per person on Delhi Metro trains, reversing the previous ban on alcohol, except for the Airport Express Line. The decision was based on the recommendations of a committee comprising DMRC and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officers responsible for Metro station security.
The Excise department’s objection is based on the assertion that the two-bottle allowance violates the provisions of the Delhi Excise Act. According to the Excise Act, only one sealed bottle of liquor, such as rum, vodka, and whisky, can be carried from one state to another. Additionally, the legal drinking age varies between Delhi (25 years) and NCR towns like Gurugram (21 years).
Officials also noted that it would constitute a violation of the Delhi Excise Rules 2010 if liquor is carried by individuals under 25 years of age from NCR cities like Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad to Delhi, all of which are connected by the Metro network. The matter remains under discussion and examination by the DMRC.
