"If a passenger loses his belongings on a Metro train or station it is deposited with the station manager concerned and the passenger can claim it within 24 hours. However, after the stipulated time, such unclaimed items from across Metro stations are sent to the DMRC's Central Lost and Found Office at Kashmere Gate station. The items are stored here for another two months for the claimant to turn up. After this, they are auctioned," says DMRC chief spokesperson Anuj Dayal.
However, items are handed over to claimants only after due verification. The DMRC staff have been provided with a set of questions and the lost item can only be claimed if the claimant satisfies them that he is the real owner. At present, more than 400 items including water bottles, helmets, umbrellas and even ATM cards are lying unclaimed with DMRC.
There have been many instances where belongings including huge sums of cash and valuables returned by the Metro staff. Sample this: Dinesh Paliwal of Najafgarh who forgot Rs. 90,000 in cash at Dwarka More station on April 4, 2006, was returned the money, while Sunil Kumar of Pitampura got his Rs. 2. 15 lakh back that he had lost at Welcome station. Similarly Jagdish Parashar was returned his laptop and Deepak Thakur a demand draft for Rs. 2 lakh.
- The Hindu
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