Tech glitch holds up exports at IGI

A glitch in the software used by the customs department has held up exports worth about Rs 100 crore at the Delhi airport for more than a week. Exporters are reportedly losing Rs 5 crore every day.

A glitch in the software used by the customs department has held up exports worth about Rs 100 crore at the Delhi airport for more than a week. Exporters are reportedly losing Rs 5 crore every day.

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"There's no more space at the cargo terminal to stock goods and we've been asked not to bring fresh consignments," said a west Delhi-based exporter who didn't wish to be named.

The trouble began in the last week of November when the customs department at the IGI airport upgraded its software. Exporters claimed no goods have been cleared since.

HT could not contact the commissioner of customs or the customs department spokesman despite repeated phone calls, but a senior customs official admitted to the problem and claimed the glitch had been fixed. "The huge backlog is being dealt with both manually and electronically," he said.

Exporters, however, are livid. "Why was the upgrade done at a peak time like Christmas?" asked SP Agarwal, president, Delhi Exporters Association. "Our buyers will now turn down the goods because they won't be able to sell them anymore."