Within rights to allow lighter, match box in Metros: DMRC

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Monday said that it is well within rights as per the tobacco act to allow Metro passengers "one lighter and one match box" while travelling by the Metro.

The statement came in the wake of a "Delhi government order" reported in newspapers on Monday, under which the latter had asked the Delhi Metro to prohibit passengers from carrying match boxes and lighters as it "promotes smoking".

"DMRC does not provide any such thing in its premises and as such not facilitating smoking in its premises," a DMRC official told IANS.

"The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) does not specify any such ban on these items carried by individuals, thus it's not appropriate to say the DMRC is violating COTPA by allowing matchbox/ lighter," he added.

Under the Delhi Metro (Operations and Maintenance) Act, he said, the transporter allowed the passengers to carry one match box and lighter in the train.

--IANS

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