Traders and drivers at the Mini Dry Port in Phuentshogling are questioning the time taken at the port to get goods cleared through customs. They say they have to wait a minimum of five hours and that the introduction of the new system, the electronic customs management system has made it worse. However, customs officials deny their claims.
It is 8 PM and the dry port in Phuentshogling is as busy as it can get. Over a hundred vehicles and drivers are waiting to get their consignments cleared through customs formalities.
According to the drivers, the customs and agent officials often say that there is a system breakdown.
Moreover, the drivers allege that they have to stay the night at the port due to issues from the customs side and yet, they end up paying Nu 2,000 per night as demurrage charges.
“We can clearly see how all the drivers are waiting here, they say they have a new system, which we do not understand at all. It takes us three or four days to import one consignment with various issues like registration, Indian customs, and Bhutan customs,” said Thinley Norbu, a driver.
“By the time we get here, it is already around 1 pm, then the whole afternoon, we have to wait here. When we reach our places, all vegetables get spoilt. Sometimes, we have to halt our night here because after a certain time, the officials leave and we have no option but to pay the Nu 2,000 for the night in the port and wait,” said A. K. Rai, another driver.
However, customs, clearing, and forwarding agents say there are no issues with the new system.
The new eCMS is currently being piloted for imports. Officials say even if the new system has glitches they use the old system as a backup.
Officials blame drivers arriving late at the port and not registering into the new system for the long queue and waiting hours.
“There are certain things the traders should do like registering themselves on eCMS. They can directly go to RAMIS and after typing in their taxpayer number, it will automatically hit eCMS. If this is done, we will not have any issues with the system. They get stuck here because they have not registered with the new system,” said Jambay Chado, CFA Representative.
The eCMS will be officially rolled out in June. Officials added that they do not levy the demurrage charges if drivers have to halt a night in the port due to system issues.
However, drivers say they have been paying the charges even when the delays were due to system failure.
“First we have to do a registration without which we cannot go to India to load the goods. We have to make sure we complete the loading by 10 AM as it takes longer to complete Indian customs. Sometimes it gets late and we cannot enter Bhutan after 8 PM. And staying out is very risky for us. People come to steal our goods, fuel, and our lives are also at risk,” said Thinley Norbu, a driver.
Meanwhile, it is past 9 PM and officials and drivers are busy completing formalities. This is while many drivers are still waiting outside to complete their formalities to avoid paying the demurrage charges.
Kinley Dem, Phuentshogling
Edited by Sherub Dorji
