Comm Ministry Extends Deadline to Install Radiation Portal Monitors & Container Scanners at 14 Seaports

The Commerce Ministry has extended the deadline till June 30 for 14 sea ports, including JNPT, Kandla, Mumbai, Tuticorin and Vishakhapatnam, to install radiation portal monitors and container scanners.

The Ministry also said that the ports which fail to meet the deadline will be derecognized for the purpose of import of un-shredded metallic scrap, with effect from July 1.

"The period of installation and operationalization of radiation portal monitors and container scanner in the designated ports is extended up to June 30, 2019," the Directorate General of Foreign Trade said.

This is the third time that the deadline has been extended.

It was in March 2017 that the ministry had asked for the installation of these equipment.

The original deadline was March 2018. It was then extended till October 2018 and then again till March this year.

The 14 ports are Chennai, Cochin, Ennore, JNPT, Kandla, Mormugao, Mumbai, New Mangalore, Paradip, Tuticorin, Vishakhapatnam, Pipava, Mundra and Kolkata.