Excise dept asks DMRC to change norm of carrying 2 liquor bottles in metro to 1

livemint.com:

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) allowed commuters to carry two sealed liquor bottles in the metro trains, the Delhi government’s excise department has sought it to be changed as per the excise law. According to the Excise Act, only one sealed bottle of liquor like rum, vodka and whisky could be carried from one state to another.

Delhi Metro has been sent a notice to change the norm of carrying two bottles of liquor to one so that it does not constitute a violation of the Excise Act if bottles are brought by commuters in Metro trains connecting Delhi to Uttar Pradesh and Haryana cities. 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, said a report by PTI citing an excise department official.

“Also, liquor can not be sold to any person less than 25 years of age in Delhi while in cities like Gurugram liquor can be sold to anyone 18 years. The relaxation means any underage person can bring liquor from other places through Metro trains and consume it in Delhi," the official said in the report.

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 corporation, the DMRC said in a statement. “Passengers are expected to follow extant rules and regulations of the concerned state excise department with regard to carrying liquor during cross-border transit," the DMRC said.

In June, the DMRC permitted commuters to carry two sealed bottles of alcohol per person in metro trains. Earlier, carrying alcohol was banned in the Delhi Metro except on the Airport Express Line.