Delhi Metro security remains a matter of concern as the CISF, its custodian, is running short of 3,000 personnel. A recommendation was also sent by the Ministry of Home Affairs to deploy additional forces, but is awaiting clearance from Union Finance Ministry.
A senior CISF official said the Ministry of Finance has been sitting on the proposal for the past six months. He added that security at Metro stations urgently needed to be beefed up, given the rising number of trafficking cases and suicides within Metro premises.
At present, total strength of CISF in Metro security is 4,800. CISF (Delhi Metro unit) DIG Udayan Banerjee said they were awaiting response from the finance department.
According to senior CISF officials, 20-25 clusters of personnel are working in 134 Metro stations at present and there is a plan to deploy personnel at every Metro station to be responsible for designated work. According to the proposal, this work has been divided into three. CISF will be deployed to monitor QRT teams, in additional security checkpoints set up to cater to increase in footfall, and to monitor CCTVs.
Women QRT teams, who have now been posted at Rajiv Chowk Metro Station, said they busted a trafficking racket a few months ago, where a 50-year-old man was arrested from Metro premises.
A staffer said she received around 10 complaints per day regarding trafficking inside the Metro station, as well as eve-teasing cases. Besides, other women QRT teams that have been posted at strategic Metro stations like Chandni Chowk, lajpat Nagar, New Delhi and Yamuna Bank also received several complaints.