BENGALURU : The humble water bottle has uncorked a debate among city residents, with many of them objecting to the separate scanning required for it at Metro stations. Impelled by the scorching heat to carry a water bottle in their bags, citizens say they face inconvenience and delay due to the security procedure.
Greeted with a print-out stating ‘No water bottles’ at baggage scanners at Metro stations, commuters now have to remove the bottle from their bag, and place the two in separate trays for scanning. Public opinion is, however, divided on the issue. While some people feel that it is an inconvenient requirement, particularly during rush hour, others laud it for being carried out in the interest of enhanced security.
Mohammed Farooq, a central government employee, who was boarding a train at MG Road station, said, “It makes things difficult for us. Removing the bottle from the bag, placing it in a tray and putting it back in the bag is a hassle.” Agreed Shipra, a software professional. “It is a major inconvenience, particularly during rush hours. I don’t think anybody is going to place any dangerous material inside a water bottle,” she said.
Senior Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited officials told CE that the move was initiated some time ago to safeguard the baggage scanners. “Some people forget to close the cap of the bottle tightly. When sent through the scanner, the water leaks and this could damage the machines,” the official added. Another official said, “Once, the scanner at a station stopped working suddenly due to water spillage. We then had to stop the queue and set it right through a technician. It delayed everyone. To avoid such problems to the scanner, which costs nearly Rs 6 lakh a piece, as well as prevent inconvenience to the public if it malfunctions, the step has been taken.”
Many commuters laud the move. Parvati Mukri, a junior engineer with the government who was heading to Vijayanagar from Kempegowda Metro Station said, “In these dangerous times, there might be liquid bombs too. It is better if all the water bottles are scanned properly.” Chartered accountant N Chandraprakash, who commutes from Jayanagar to work daily, also expressed his happiness with the security check. “It is good to have 100 per cent safety. All it takes is a few seconds for a person to remove the water bottle from the bag and place it on a tray.”
The staffers manning
the scanners said most passengers readily comply with the order. “A few of them grumble and ask questions but are satisfied when we explain the reason to them,” a security personnel said.