Exports & imports: Courier firms want Trichy airport notified

Now that the export of cargo from Trichy airport following the inauguration of the refurbished cargo terminal in November last year has improved drastically, the demand by courier firms for notifying Tiruchirappalli Airport for imports and exports has been stepped up. Interestingly, Sri Lankan Airlines has maintained its lead as the single largest exporter of cargo from Trichy. The carrier exported a total of 1,429 tonnes for the 2011-12 fiscal.

In the forefront of the demand was Seyyed, managing director of ABS Xpress Private Limited who has been fighting for the notification since 2009. He made several trips to North Block and met the revenue secretary in December, 2009. Seyyed was asked to give a formal letter of requisition in January 2010, which was later found to have been lost in June the same year. Trichy airport director S Dharmaraj told TOI that he had written thrice to the commissioner of customs in the last eight months, but there was no reply. "We are proactive, and we are always ready, provided the notification comes," Dharmaraj said, commenting on the delay in notification for courier cargo.

Interestingly, the Central Board of Excise and Customs faxed a letter on June 1, 2012, to the chief commissioners of customs (Preventive), Chennai zone, asking for "comments along with current status, with special emphasis on staffing position as courier operations would require round-the-clock" and send the same by return fax to the board in order that the issue be examined. Seyyed told TOI that he had learnt from his sources that no reply was sent so far. Moreover, the office of the commissioner of customs, Trichy, is vacant at the moment.