RailEnquiry

NAGPUR: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) busted two rackets engaged in octroi evasion on October 10 and 14. To check for more such rackets, five squads searched many godowns in Central Nagpur and seized 97 parcels on Monday. Verification of goods and related documents is underway and is likely to end with detection of a couple of more rackets engaged in octroi evasion.Until now, such drives were conducted only by officials of octroi department. For the first time, on Monday, municipal commissioner Shyam Wardhane engaged additional deputy municipal commissioner Ravindra Kumbhare and assistant commissioners of zones Mahesh Moroney (Dharampeth Zone), Mahesh Dhamecha (Dhantoli), Subhashchandra Jaidev (Laxmi Nagar) and Ganesh Rathod (Lakadganj) in the octroi evasion verification drive.Wardhane took the decision after the detection of the racket on October 10 and implemented the new system on Monday. Such raids will continue now, sources said.Assistant commissioner (octroi) Milind Meshram, who was part of one of the five squads, said the drive commenced at 8am and ended by evening. "All five squads searched over 10 godowns each. Rathod led a squad with octroi inspectors Sanjay Mendule and Sumer Gajbhiye to verify a truck (RJ-11/5797) of Nagpur Freight Carrier at its godown. They seized 58 parcels of clothes, cooker, motor parts and electrical goods for verification. Similarly, Moroney's squad with octroi inspector Dilip Mate seized 10 parcels for verification. Jaidev and his squad comprising octroi inspector Chahande searched godowns but found no irregularity. Squad led by me and Dhamecha along with Jitendra Tomar verified two vehicles of New Golden Transport (HR-55/L-65360 and HR-73/1196) and seized seven parcels of clothes, nine of cycle parts, five of surgical/sports goods, seven parcels of bags and one parcel of hardware material for verification," he said.

Meshram said the new system will help increase revenue and control octroi evasion. "The civic chief asked the assistant commissioners of all ten zones to participate in the drives and assist octroi department. Wardhane has set a target of Rs2 crore revenue per day from octroi," he said.

The octroi department is the biggest revenue earning department in NMC and contributes 50% of the revenue. Any increase in revenue will give scope for new development projects in the city. NMC is also taking up the issue of evasion from railway route and is likely to follow up with the Central Railway for introduction of a system implemented at Mumbai for collecting octroi at the railway station.