Indian Express

MANGALORE, Jan 24: The Mangalore Airport Authority of India (AAI) and the Customs department are in a fix over the setting up of a cargo terminal at the Airport.

The AAI has proposed to establish the cargo terminal at the existing airport once the construction of a new terminal near Kenjar completes.

But unless the Customs department utilises provisions under section 8 of Customs Act 1962, AAI will not be able to handle any cargo from Mangalore Airport for international destination.

The ball is now in court of the Customs department and has to declare the airport as Customs Airport for handling of cargo, sources stress.

But the Customs department insists that the AAI has to undertake custodianship for cargo clearance. Incidentally, AAI has no provision to undertake custodianship.

Under `Customs Law Manual’, Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) is the final authority to approve Cargo Terminal for an airport in India.

Mangalore Airport Director M R Vasudeva told this website that he would discuss the issue with Chief Commissioner of Customs, Heera Radhakrishnan, who will be in the city to participate in the International Customs Day celebrations.

Many agencies, he informed, had come forward to undertake the cargo handling agency in the Mangalore Airport. The cargo terminal would be functional once an approval is obtained from Customs, Vasudev added.

Unless the Customs department declares Mangalore airport as `customs aerodrome’ that handles cargo, tenders cannot be invited. Hence, clearance from the Customs department is awaited for the realisation of the project.

Meanwhile, Customs faces an acute shortage of staff to manage the cargo terminal duty.