NEW DELHI : The Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) has issued a Circular to notifies Extension of Customs clearances beyond normal working hours in Inland Container Depots.

As a measure of trade facilitation and the ease of doing business, the CBIC has been enabling the facility of 24×7 Customs clearance across numerous sea ports and air cargo complexes across the Country. Presently, this facility is available at 20 sea ports and 17 airports.

In order to meet the needs of the trade, the Board has received representation from the trade to expand the availability of 24-hour customs clearance to ICDs nationwide. The issue has been properly investigated.

Since the requirements from members of the trade and the local circumstances may vary from place to place, Board hereby advises all the 

Pr. Chief / Chief Commissioners, having jurisdictions over Inland Container Depots (ICDs) to consider having the ICDs within their jurisdictions designated with extended facility of Customs clearance beyond normal working hours in any of the following ways, namely:-

• Similar to the present Board standards for sea ports and air cargo/airports, the facility for customs clearance may be made available 24×7 basis.

• Customs clearance services may be provided with set hours on all seven (7) days of the week (including holidays) (say from 9 :30 AM to 6 :00 PM).

• For specific days of the week and at specific times, the customs clearing facility may be made available outside regular business hours.

Consideration should be given to all pertinent factors, such as requests from trade associations, the number of regular imports and exports, the type of the commodities being imported or exported, the involvement of other agencies or companies, importers and exporters, and customs brokers. Custodians should be consulted of the arrangements they will be making for these objectives. If the ICD does not cooperate with the waiver of cost recovery fees, it must properly agree to the aspect of cost recovery fees as well.

The Zone must make sure there are enough resources available to provide the extended facility once the decision to designate an ICD with extended Customs clearances as described above has been taken. Additionally, such a decision must be made public by means of comprehensive public notices and pertinent standing orders. Additionally, the Board must be informed through email at uscus4.dor@gov.in.