20 marine immigration check posts violate Passport Act, pose security hazard: MHA

In a report tabled in the Rajya Sabha, the Ministry of Home Affairs said there was a security risk from passengers and crew cleared from over 20 marine immigration check posts that are running violation of the Passport Act. Around 2,988 kg of heroin was brought to India through Gujarat's Mundra Port in 2021, the report expressed concern.

New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has said that more than 20 non-notified marine immigration check posts are functioning in violation of The Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920 and the rules made there under. The MHA has told a Parliamentary Committee that in such locations, the local police try to accommodate the crew of the ship by signing on/embarkation or signing off/disembarkation with their limited offline information and 39 virtually no physical infrastructure.

The disclosure was made in the 242nd Demands for Grants report of the Home Ministry that was tabled in the Rajya Sabha on March 17. The revelation assumes significance following the fact that the smuggling of drugs through seaports has become a major concern for security agencies. Most notably, around 2988 kg of heroin was brought to India through Gujarat's Mundra Port in 2021.

“This is a potential security hazard. It may lead to immigration clearance of passengers/crews, who are a security risk. Legally speaking, immigration functions cannot be carried out at these seaports since neither have they been notified as ICP nor do they have the requisite technological and physical infrastructure to carry out a secure and safe immigration process. They are offline and not connected to the centralized immigration system which is served by the backend data centre located in Delhi,” the MHA said.

Therefore, the MHA has been taking up the matter including with State Government Authorities and Local Port Authorities to ensure that immigration at all seaports becomes not only business-friendly but also safe and secure for the country, the committee was informed.

The MHA said that at present, India has 31 authorized Seaport Immigration Check Posts (ICPs). Out of them, 10 ICPs are under the direct control and management of the Bureau of Immigration (BoI), MHA. “The remaining ICPs are controlled by State police agencies. As per the extant regulations (Passport (Entry into India) Rules, 1950), any person including Indian nationals entering into or exiting India by water, land or air route must possess a valid passport which includes a visa in case of a foreigner and must use only such port of entry/exit which has been designated as ICP by the Central Government,” the MHGA said.

In other words, no person can enter or exit from India except through designated ICPs. The abovementioned 31 authorized Seaport ICPs are the only notified waterways by which any crew or passenger in a ship can legally enter or exit from India. The BOI ensures that uniform immigration processes are followed at all the designated ICPs, especially those ten which are operated by them, the MHA said.

The notified 31 ICPs are managed by relevant port trusts/agencies that are responsible for maintaining all the required physical infrastructure including the facilities needed for immigration functions. The BoI provides manpower and security check gadgets (Passport reading machines, links to data centres, local servers, web cameras, computers, bar code readers, scanners, etc.

“The physical infrastructure like space/shelter, AC environment, telephone lines, vehicles and accommodation, etc. are to be arranged by relevant port authorities,” the MHA said.