Deadline till March for ports to install radiation monitors, container scanner

The commerce ministry, for the third time, has extended the deadline till March next year for fourteen seaports -- including JNPT, Kandla, Mumbai, Tuticorin and Vishakhapatnam -- to install radiation monitors and container scanner.

Also, it also said that the ports which fail to meet the deadline will be derecognised for the purpose of import of un-shredded metallic scrap, with effect from April 1 next year.

These 14 ports were earlier directed by the ministry to install and operationalise this equipment by October. In March 2017, the ministry had asked for the installation till March this year.

"The period of installation and operationalisation of radiation portal monitors and container scanner in the designated ports is extended up to March 31, 2019," the directorate general of foreign trade has said Thursday.

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