Train commuters on the Central Railway alleged that several door frame metal detectors (DFMD) installed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and other railway stations of the city failed to fulfill the purpose and become just a 'showpiece'.
However, Deputy Chief Public Relations Officer of Central Railway Anil Kumar Jain rejected the allegations and said all the DFMDs at CSMT are in working condition. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi likely to visit the terminus on February 10, the need to properly use these door frames has assumed urgency.
DFMD helps check metal and hazardous objects
DFMD helps security guards to check whether people carry any metal or hazardous object with them when they enter the premises. The door frame is supposed to beep when a passenger walks in with a metal item.
“Most of these DFMDs were installed after the 26/11 terrorist attacks at the railway stations of the city and were supposed to be monitored by security personnel, but nowadays they become just showpieces and lying unmanned and several of them are not in working condition," said Lata Argade, Secretary of suburban passengers association.
According to just Ms Lata, only a few DFMDs are being monitored by the security personnel. “In front of CSMT subway, several metal detectors are installed but people use the huge gap between two metal detectors to enter the station," she said.
Non-working DFMDs issue of concern
Similarly, Subhash Gupta, President of Rail Yatri Parishad, Mumbai said, "Most of the DFMDs at suburban stations are unused due to lack of proper monitoring. Several DFMDs do not work most of the time".
“The authorities need to keep an intensive vigil to ensure that passengers do not enter the railway station from unauthorised routes or gaps between two DFMDs," said Mohan Rakesh, a frequent local commuter.
There are six DFMDs installed in front of the CSMT subway, out of these, one was not working on Monday. Similarly, on the cab road of CSMT, eight DFMDs are in place but two were not working.
According to government railway police officials, a few of DFMDs are under repair, which will be made operational soon. When asked about the realtime monitoring of these DFMDs, officials said due to the huge footfalls at CSMT, it's not possible to check each and every passenger.
How it works
DFMDs use pulse induction technology. This technology transmits powerful, short bursts of current through the coil of wire. The pulse generates a short magnetic field. When a piece of metal crosses through this magnetic field, a reflected magnetic field will emerge and this magnetic field will react with the receiver coil, which initiates the alarm in the door frame metal detector.
