Non-Functional Metal Detectors And Baggage Scanners At Mumbai Railway Stations Raise Security Concerns Amid Murders
Security concerns have emerged at Mumbai railway stations after several metal detectors and baggage scanners were found non-functional or unused. The issue gained attention following two local train murders where accused allegedly carried weapons.
Non-Functional Metal Detectors And Baggage Scanners At Mumbai Railway Stations Raise Security Concerns Amid Murders | AI
Mumbai: Metal detectors and baggage scanners installed at several major Mumbai railway stations are either non-functional or remain unused, raising security concerns for local train commuters. Officials say the huge passenger volume makes it difficult to screen every commuter without causing delays.
Two Recent Murders on Local Trains Question Security Effectiveness
The issue has come under scrutiny after two recent murders on local trains. In both cases, the accused allegedly carried deadly weapons in their bags, raising questions about the effectiveness of station security.
Following the incidents, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) have intensified manual baggage checks and intelligence-based surveillance. Officials said efforts are underway to repair and reactivate metal detectors at key entry and exit points. However, random checks, targeted inspections and surprise checks inside train coaches remain the main security measures.
No Consolidated Data on Total Detectors or Operational Status
Authorities do not have consolidated data on the total number of metal detectors and baggage scanners installed across Mumbai’s railway stations or how many are operational. Such equipment has been installed at major stations, including Churchgate, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Mumbai Central, Dadar, Thane, Kurla, Bandra and Kalyan, but several machines are reportedly not functioning.
Passenger activist Samir Zaveri said metal detectors served little purpose if they were not functional or if no action was taken after they beeped. He said the system exists only at selected stations, allowing anyone carrying a weapon to board from stations without such checks.
Zaveri had raised the issue through an RTI application last year. According to the reply received in January 2026, the baggage scanner at Mumbai Central railway terminus remained out of service for 180 days. It stopped functioning on July 17, 2025, and was repaired only on January 30, 2026.
He said the scanner, purchased for Rs27 lakh and covered under a 30-month maintenance contract worth Rs21 lakh, should not have remained non-functional for nearly six months.
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