Customs Baggage Rules - Confusing and Complicated
IN DDT 2818 01 04 2016, I wrote, "The Baggage Rules have an Appendix and three annexures apart from the complicated provisions with half a dozen provisos. Can't they make these simple and short that passengers can understand?"
It is simply impossible for anybody to gather information from all the ignorant sources and know the exact position. The Chairman can conduct a small survey within his office by asking his staff to explain the baggage rules to him.
The least that you can do for the people coming to your country is to tell them clearly and correctly what their rights and obligations are. Make the rules simple and give them wide publicity and ask your officers to be thorough with them. Every passenger on arrival at the airport should be given a small handbook that should answer all possible questions on baggage.
Making the stakeholder aware of his rights and duties is as important as punishing him for the lapses.
Incidentally, now the duty free allowance is Rs. 50,000.