E-declaration of cargo at Kerala check-posts stabilises

The new process of e-declaration of cargo coming from outside Kerala, which was put in place on July 20, is now going on smoothly, according to Commercial Taxes Department officials.

The e-declaration, which is now mandatory at all check-posts in the State, had hit snarls when it was first introduced a week before at Walayar, the biggest cargo gateway in the State. Trucks wanting to enter Kerala had piled up miles together on the Walayar-Coimbatore road on July 15.

Officials said the teething troubles had been sorted out and that the online process smoothened. The new process, they claimed, would ease the congestion and frustrations at the Walayar check-post where around 1,500 trucks queue up every day.

The e-declaration, aimed to simplify the shipment procedures and check tax evasion, has been mandatory for two years. But the procedure had certain loopholes and hence tax evasion continued. Previously, the e-declaration was made by the transporting agency, which had allegedly facilitated a lot of frauds.

In the new system, the declaration has to be made by the consignee in Form No. 8F before the truck reaches the check-post, using his login and password.

The system would generate a token number which could be sent as a text message to the truck driver. The driver could present the token number to the check post staff and if matched, the truck would be waved on.

Officials claimed that one major advantage of the new procedure was that it would prevent multiple-entry of trucks using the same e-declaration.

Following last week’s snarls at Walayar, truckers’ organisations, transporting agencies and trade bodies had all criticised the hurried implementation of the new system.

The State government is now planning to launch an awareness campaign among truckers, consigners and transporting agencies in the southern states about the new system.

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