ICD Mulund - INTRODUCTION

Established in November 1991, the Container Freight Station (CFS), Mulund is situated 29 Kms from Mumbai City on the Eastern Express Highway, just 3 Kms short of Thane. It spreads over an area of 35.88 acres (1,47,520 sq. Mtrs) with the Indian Railways Central Line bisecting it into Mulund (East) and Mulund (West). Mulund (West) spread over 12.88 acres (51, 520 Sq. Mtrs) accommodates Export Department and Mulund (E) covering 24 acres (96000 Sq. Mtrs) has the Import Department of the CFS. In the beginning the CFS operated from Mulund (W) and handled only exports. In fact, it functioned only as an extension of the Export department of the Bombay Custom House. Though all shipping Bills, except those relating to DEEC Scheme, were filed, noted and assessed at the CFS, the exporters / CHAs had to necessarily go to the Bombay Custom House for obtaining countersignatures of the Asstt. Commissioner (where necessary), for paying any cess of export duty and for seeking any post shipment amendment of export documents. The export goods examined by the Customs staff at CFS and stuffed into containers would then move in sealed containers to Mumbai Port for loading on to foreign going vessels. As the Indian economy opened up and gathered momentum in the early 1990s, the imports and exports through Mumbai Port multiplied and strained its already overworked infrastructure, leading to congestion and delays in cargo clearance. Not surprisingly, the CFS Mulund, with its excellent Rail and Road connectivity became an instant hit with the trade. Soon, it grew into a popular dry port drawing not only Bombay based trade but also that from the hinterland. It was, therefore, only a matter of time before import clearance at Mulund was also allowed. In November 1995, Mulund was notified as customs area for the purpose of Import and CFS operations were expanded to import as well, though only of certain specified cargo such as waste paper, PVC resin, metal scrap, woolen rags etc. Like exports, the import operations were initially limited to de-stuffing of containers and examination / clearance of cargo. The Bills of entry were filed in the Customs House and assessed by the respective appraising groups. The Customs duty too was paid in the Custom House. In other words, the CFS-Mulund (East) functioned as an integral part of the Import Department of Bombay Custom House. When the Bombay Commissionerate of Customs split into Import, Export and General Commissionerate, the export and import wings of CFS continued to function as part of Export Commissionerate. However, in December, 2000 the CFS Mulund was assigned to the Commissionerate of Customs (Gen), Mumbai and as result its export and import departments merged into a full fledged integrated and independent CFS. Today, it has an identity of its own and all operations from filling of bills of entry / shipping bills through assessment, examination, audit, duty payment and to final clearance of import as well export cargo are undertaken at Mulund itself. With effect from April 2001 duty drawback on exported goods is also being disbursed at CFS. With the increased emphasis on automation and transparency with regard to Customs procedures, ICES & ICEGATE facility were also extended to CFS,Mulund. Export and Import modules of ICES became operation w.e.f. 29/09/2004 and 24/11/2004 respectively. The ICEGATE facility has also been made available w.e.f. 05/05/2005.

CUSTODIAN

The Department has appointed Container Corp. of India (CONCOR), a Government of India Undertaking under the Ministry of Railways, as the custodian of the Customs area notified at Mulund for the purpose of stuffing, de-stuffing, examination and clearance of containerized cargo. However, CONCOR has, from the very beginning, entered into an agreement with Indira Rashtriya Kamgar Sahakari Society Ltd. (IRKSS), ( a Mulund based entity with former Maharashtra Chief Minister/Defence Minister Shri Sharad Pawar as its honorary president), and thereby entrusted the latter with nearly all the CFS operations like handling and transportation of containers from Mulund to Nhava Sheva/Mumbai port and vice versa as also of handling of cargo within the CFS premises. The IRKSS have further subcontracted the handling and transportation of containers both cargo laden and empty to M/s. Seaport Containers Terminal Ltd. – a Mumbai (Fort) based transport contractor. This contractor undertakes transportation of import containers from Nhava Sheva to Mulund and stuffing and transportation of export containers from Mulund to Nhava Sheva and Mumbai ports. The internal handling of cargo (after de-stuffing of import containers and before stuffing of export containers) is, however, done by the IRKSS staff. Further for security of customs area, CONCOR has entered into an agreement with M/s. TRIG Detectives Ltd. Juhu, for providing round the clock security to the CFS premises

GATEWAY PORT / AIRPORT

The containerized export cargo sealed at CFS feeds both the Nhava Sheva and Mumbai Ports. The cargo moves by road on the trailers belonging to M/s. Seaport Container Terminal Ltd. About 80% of the containers go to Nhava Sheva Port and the remaining 20 % to Mumbai Port. The import cargo on the other hand comes entirely from Nhava Sheva by rail (90%) via Panvel, Diva and Thane (about 70 Km journey) as well as by road (10%) CONCOR has also been allowed to transport export cargo in Customs-sealed trucks from CFS Mulund to Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Sahar (w. e. f. October 2000) and to Ahmedabad Airport (w. e. f. June 2001) for its shipment by air. No export cargo has, however, so far moved to these gateway airports. Similarly, though CONCOR have been authorised to bring air cargo from Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai and clear the same at Mulund, only once (in July 2001) has this facility been availed off.