Companies can apply online to set up inland container depots

The commerce ministry today said it has started an online facility to allow faster approvals and clearances for companies looking to set up an inland container depot (ICD) or container and air freight stations.
Companies can now make their application online and view its progress and update online, without a visit to any government office, the ministry said in a statement.
Five ministries -- commerce, shipping, finance, civil aviation and railways -- are involved in the approval process for establishing ICD/Container Freight Station (CFS)/Air Freight Station (AFS).
Earlier, companies would have to submit as many as ten physical copies of the application form with the requisite documents to the infrastructure division at Department of Commerce here, besides one copy with the jurisdictional commissioner of customs.

"The improved procedure is aimed at ensuring a speedier and more transparent approval process," it said.
The ministry said that there have been frequent complaints from the stakeholders or applicants that the manual process is very cumbersome and it results in loss of documents in the transit and there is also lack of transparency regarding the status of clearances.
"There have been persistent demands from the various stakeholders to streamline the processes and therefore, Department of Commerce embarked upon a project to have the complete process made online for the convenience of the applicants," it said.
Through the process, it said, applicants would get progress report of their applications through SMS and email alerts.