The Hindu Business Line : Electronic data facility for cargo at Delhi, Mumbai airports next year

The Express Industry Council of India (EICI) is working with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the customs to make the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) facility operational at the two metro airports.

"We have engaged Wipro to develop the software. The first phase of the project should roll out by mid-March next year, while the entire project, that is to cover airports in other cities, including Chennai and Bangalore, should be ready by June 2006," EICI's Chief Operating Officer, Mr Vijay Kumar, told Business Line.

EICI is the apex body of express companies that oversees the movement of documents and packages. It is estimated that the express industry is worth Rs 3,000 crore.

The introduction of the project will pre-alert the customs about the cargo that is arriving and thereby, allow them to check any particular package.

Under the project, import processes and duty payment will be automated.

The implementation of the project will cut down the time taken for processing express cargo by 6-7 hours.

Meanwhile, EICI has again made an appeal for the sector to be given the status of an industry.

"Today, we are growing at 20 per cent a year and we should grow at about 30 per cent soon. We are a key player in helping Indian companies go global," Mr Kumar said.

The acceptance of EICI's demand would benefit the industry in many ways. It would help make credit available at more competitive rates.

The industry is also a major employment generator and in the organised and semi-organised sectors alone, it employs close to 40,00 people.

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