The truck scanner has been lying dysfunctional since 2019. The dysfunctional truck scanner and inadequate X-ray machines used for locating hidden arms, ammunition, explosives, detonators, fake currency and narcotics, at the Attari integrated check post (ICP) continue to be a big concern for the Indian traders.
Recently a delegation of the traders led-by ICP chamber of commerce president Anil Mehra met Minister of State in Ministry of Home Affairs, Ajay Mishra and apprised him of the difficulties they have been facing while trading due to the dysfunctioning of the truck scanner and inadequate X-ray machines.
The truck scanner project costing ₹23 crore was announced in March 2017 by then Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiran Rijiju. Of the five truck scanners imported from the US, the first one was installed at the Attari ICP in 2019. The Centre had sanctioned five full body truck scanners for Attari–Wagha in Punjab, Poonch–Chakkandabad and Uri–Salamabad in Jammu & Kashmir on the India-Pakistan border, Petrapole in Kolkata at India–Bangladesh border and Raxaul in Bihar on India–Nepal border. In 2019, the Customs had conducted a trial of the Attari scanner, but it failed to produce its desired result. The scanner has been lying dysfunctional since then.
“Various goods, including dry fruit and pharmaceutical drugs, are being imported from Afghanistan every day by our importers from various parts of India. However, due to the improper functioning of the truck scanner, our goods are being checked physically. Whenever, any illegal item is detected during the physical checking, it brings a bad name for the particular importer,” said Mehra.
He said, “Similarly, due to the physical examination of goods, a lot of time is wasted in opening up and checking of each and every package. This leads to the shortage of goods and the goods also reach the market very late leading to huge losses to the traders and businessmen. With the help of the scanner, goods can be examined at a high speed which will lead to less wastage and faster clearing of consignments. This will increase the trade volumes and there will not be any volatility related to the prices of goods.” He further said, “It is pertinent to mention here that there are 7 big godowns for loading/off-loading the imported consignments and only 3 X-ray machines have already been installed there, which are insufficient for the consignments. Due to the lack of the X-ray machines, the imported consignments are to be opened which results in wastage of time. In this connection, Customs officials as well as Land Port Authority of India (LPAI) authorities at the ICP have already written to the Union Home Minister. Besides the installation of high-tech truck scanner, at least three more X-ray machines should be made available at the ICP.”
LPAI’s ICP manager, Satish Dhyani said the truck scanner is working, but not active as per the requirements of the Customs. “The work is in progress to complete the Custom’s requirements in the truck scanner. Similarly, we have also taken up the case with the government for increasing the X-ray machines at the ICP for early clearance of the goods,” he added. The ICP facilitates India’s trade with Pakistan and Afghanistan, and movement of passengers from India to Pakistan and vice-versa. Presently, only import from Afghanistan is allowed through the ICP. The trade between India and Pakistan has been on halt since New Delhi abrogated Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. Before this, India had increased Customs duty from 5% to 200% on all items being imported from Pakistan after the Pulwama attack.
