• PAGE ONE
• INDEX
• HOME

Status of documents -- Tele-enquiry system at air cargo complex

Our Bureau

NEW DELHI, July 16

THE Revenue Department has introduced a tele-enquiry system for customs at the Delhi Air Cargo complex wherein importers, exporters, custom house agents and members of the trade will be able to ascertain the current status of their Bill of Entry as well as Shipping Bill including the status of drawback credit on voice mail, through the telephone.

``The move to usher in the new system is a part of the Revenue Department's efforts to prune transaction costs and enable exporters and importers plan their cargo operations efficiently,'' according to the Chief Commissioner Customs (Delhi), Mr. S.P. Sri vastava.

The tele-enquiry facility _ which is aimed at obviating the need for physical checking of the status of documents _ will be extended to Tughlakabad Inland Container Depot (ICD) next month and later on to customs complexes at Sahar, Chennai, Calcutta and Mumbai, the Finance Secretary, Mr. Piyush Mankad, said.

This facility can be accessed through the four-digit 1955 with hunting facility to access telephone numbers 5655727 and 5655728 for exports and 5655725, 5655726 for imports.

The computerised system based on a new software _ Integrated Voice Response System _ will automatically convert the pending status of customs documents into voice mail. A fax copy giving the status of documents filed on the day of the enquiry or the last working day and the query raised by Customs will also be available to trade.

Among the other features, the new system will provide information on whether the request for clearance under green channel facility has been accepted or not. Information on drawback documents such as the date and amount of drawback sanctioned, drawback a mount sanctioned but withheld, sanctioned but not transferred to the bank account and the date of transfer will be made available.