Soon,X-ray scanner on goods trucks

To ensure the X-rays cause no harm,the tender documents specify it is mandatory to get approval from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and International Commission on Radiological Protection. The earlier plan had been scrapped as the scanners were to use harmful gamma rays. “This time the scanners will have minimum radioactivity,” said a civic official.

Of the 14 machines the civic body plans to buy at Rs 520 crore,three will be installed by the year-end. The BMC is hopeful of increasing its total octroi revenue by at least 25 per cent after the installation of all 14. The present annual average is about 4,500 crore,with octroi one of the BMC’s highest sources of income.

The idea was proposed because of frequent evasion at the five octroi nakas. Workers at octroi nakas cannot afford to check each consignment as the time consumed would leave the checkpost congested. Traders often get away with valuable goods covered up or in concealed compartments,civic officials say.

“In some cases,they declare a wrong quantity and a wrong description of articles. Once the scanners are installed,the octroi inspector will cross-check the actual quantity seen on the screens with the amount written in the form,” said S S Shinde,joint municipal commissioner. If the figures don’t match,the inspector will have the vehicle stopped,he said.

The first four scanners will be installed at Vashinaka in Mankhurd which has had evasion most frequently. Four scanners have been proposed on the Eastern Express Highway naka at Mulund East,two at LBS naka in Mulund West,one at Mulund Airoli naka and three at Dahisar naka.

The BMC’s target is to let 80 vehicles pass through the scanner per hour. The field of inspection within the scanner will be 4.5 metres high,3 wide and 20 long. Cameras of 1,200 megapixels will scan the truck from multiple sides without having to unload the goods.