The charge of Coimbatore Customs will move to Commissioner Customs - Tiruchi from November 1, according to a recent circular of the Union Government.
Coimbatore Customs covers four Inland Container Depots - two in Tirupur and two in Coimbatore, the air cargo complex and the Coimbatore airport. These handle a wide range of products that are exported - fruits, vegetables, engineering products, textile goods, coir items and sugar. Imports by industries in the region include components, machinery, and accessories.
“Only the administrative control goes to Tiruchi. The functioning of Customs here will continue as it is now. Only the staff will report to the Commissioner, Customs in Tiruchi,” said Minu Pramod, Additional Commissioner, Central GST and Central Excise Commissionerate, Coimbatore.
Except Chennai, the charge of all other Customs in the State now come under the Tiruchi Customs Commissioner. This is a move to integrate operations. With GST, there are many new areas and the GST commissionerate here will focus on those areas. The change is expected to come into effect from November 1. There is a possibility of a delay, she added.
Allaying fears of the trade and industry that the move will affect business in the region, an official said most of the goods move by self-sealing. Almost all the document-related procedures, including drawbacks and refunds, have become online. The decisions and physical monitoring are mostly done by Assistant Commissioners and they will continue to operate in Coimbatore. Beyond these, if there are emergencies the officials here will guide the trade and industry, the official added. Only in extreme circumstances there is a need for decision by the Commissioner and such a situation is rare. However, the trade and industry in Coimbatore has appealed to the chairman of Central Board of Excise and Customs to have a Customs Department in Coimbatore headed by Additional Commissioner or Joint Commissioner.
