TRADE FACILITATION MEASURES UNDERTAKEN AT AIR CARGO COMPLEX, SAHAR

Air Cargo Customs, Sahar requires quick decision and delivery systems to enable the Importers / Exporters to receive or exports their goods in time.  Apart from this the demurrage charge of  custodians ,i.e., MIAL and AI are also heavy in comparison to Sea Port.  Therefore, trade requires special treatment based on urgency of material imported or to be exported. The Trade facilitation measures play an important role  at ACC, Sahar for expeditious clearance of import or export goods. Some of  the Trade Facilitation measures are as under:-

(i).     The movement of personnel for entry/exit in the ACC premises, whether stake holders or general public, needs  to be monitored due  to sensitiveness of  the area. Thus, the CISF has  been provided  with the responsibility  to administer  the entry/exit of ACC. This  enables only rightful owner to have access in the  Customs  Area . The issues pertaining to the entry/exit are addressed with effective co-ordination amongst the Customs and custodians  at ACC,Sahar.

(ii).        There are two Public Relation Officers     attending to different work assigned  to them.  One PRO from Appraising Cadre looks into all Trade related problems of assessment and examination of Export and Import Cargo and Co-ordinate with all functionaries to address the grievances/problems.  One PRO has been posted in baggage section to facilitate the clearance of unaccompanied baggage as  also  guides the passengers in baggage related matters. 

(iii).       The Trade Facilitation Committee meeting are held every 1^st/3^rd Friday of  every Month at 1030 hours to address the issues raised  by all stake holders. The TFC meetings are presided over by Commissioner of  Customs (Imports)/Commissioner  of  Customs (Export). Representatives form all the functionaries working at Air Cargo Complex viz. MIAL, Air India, CISF, Air lines, Octroi, State Bank of India,  all members of trade & their senior office bearers attend the TFC meeting.  The minutes of meeting are recorded & uploaded in the website (www.accmumbai.gov.in) of ACC, Sahar & action taken are discussed in every next meeting.  This ensures the speedy redressal of grievances, if  any,  related with any functionary at Air Cargo Complex, Sahar.

(iv).       Air Cargo Customs, Sahar has launched its own official web site www.accmumbai.gov.in .  This web site is already very popular amongst the trade, CHAs and all the people associated with Customs clearing at ACC.  This web site gives comprehensive information about activities carried out at the Cargo Complex.  We have launched “value added services” on our web site like providing status of Bills of Entry and Shipping Bills at all stages of clearance through daily E-mail to subscriber.  The trade has widely appreciated this by way of subscribing to our paid services at this web site.  A web-manager has been appointed to update the website on a continuous basis.

(v).        A separate Customs Laboratory has been set up at Air Cargo. This would help expedite results of tests and reduce delays. Importers and Exporters are also free to have goods tested at other government approved private laboratories, if needed.

(vi).       To expedite movement of cargo and to enable next day clearances:-

                                             i.            Break bulk operating has been allowed round the clock with effect from October, 2000.

                                           ii.            After off-loading cargo is moved directly from aircraft to the import shed instead of via airlines warehouse.

                                          iii.            Delivery timing for Import cargo have been increased to 10.00 P.M. from the existing 8.00 P.M.

(vii).      To ensure faster clearances for larger number of importers:-

                                             i.            180 importers having Green Channel facility are now under ACP Scheme. The clearances under RMS facilitation account for 50% of the documents.

                                           ii.            EDI center has been made operational round the clock. This will ensure greater system stability,thus, cutting down delays on account of system failures; timely submission of IGM’s and report generation at night thus leaving the system resources free during the daytime (reducing response time for assessment and clearance).

                                          iii.            Assessing officers attend to assessment work exclusively.

                                          iv.            Effort is made to ensure that every Assessing Officer clears all Bills of Entry in his/her queue on the same day.

(viii).    The custodians, on request have agreed to increase the existing area being used for examination of export cargo. This would go a long way to reduce the congestion in the export shed, thereby reducing the time taken in off-loading, movement and disposal.

(ix).      In Unaccompanied Baggage section, all the concerned agencies have been brought under one roof to facilitate clearance. This has reduced the number of steps required for baggage clearance by 75% and the time taken by 50%. EDI has been extended to Baggage Clearances recently.

(x).      Display Systems have been procured and installed so that information about the status of various documents can be had by the trade immediately with the help of mouse.

(xi).     SMS facility for ascertaining status of Bills of Entry or Shipping Bills using mobile phones  is operational. It is very fast and one can get the access by dialing a 5 digit number 57827.

(xii).    IGMs, CGMs, EGMs, Bills of Entry and Shipping Bills are filed through ICEGATE.
 

(xiii).    The  Risk Management Systems  for the assessment  of  the imported goods covered  under Group-I to VI has  been in operation  from 7.1.2.2005 and  same  is  working fine. 

(xiv).    A ‘Help Desk’ is provided in EDI, which is working round the clock.  ‘Help Desk’ provides assistance to all EDI Users in filing the Bills of Entry through ‘ICE GATE’ or in filing of IGMs online etc.

Grievance Redressal Mechanism

The Importers / Exporters / CHAs have easy access to all the officers at Air Cargo Complex, Sahar, Mumbai.  They are able to meet the Commissioner of Customs (Import) and Commissioner of Customs (Export) anytime during working hours with their difficulties / grievances, if any, without any prior appointment / permission. The following Group “A” Officers have been deputed for handling trade related Public Grievances:- 

 2.         There is the official website  www.accmumbai.gov.in, which entails all required informations pertaining to trade. There is also email of Public Relation Officer www.pro@accmumbai.gov.in and for the webmaster www.webmaster@accmumbai.gov.in, where members of trade  can send their mails which are regularly checked and properly replied with.