HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF MUMBAI CUSTOMS AND MUMBAI PORT

ARRIVAL OF PORTUGUESE
The earliest inhabitants of Mumbai, then known as "Seven Little Islands" were the Kolis. The seven Islands which were woven into one city were
(i) Colaba
(ii) Old Woman's Island
(iii) Mumbai
(iv) Mazagaon
(v) Worli
(vi) Matunga
(vii) Mahim.
The year 1498, which witnessed the arrival at Calicut if the first Portugese trading expEDItion led by Vasco Da Gama ushered the epoch of European domination in Asia. The earliest recirded visit of the Portugese to Mumbai was in January, 1509 when they briefly landed in Mahim Island enroute to Diu and for the next 25 years, they were prowling about Mumbai islands. In 1532, they seized the city of Bassein, some 45 kms. North of Mumbai from Sultan Bahadur Shah of Gujarat and made the Islands of Mumbai and Mahim tributary to protugese suzerainty. In 1534, Sultan Bahadur Shah concluded a treaty with the Portugese under which Bassein and the Mumbai Islands were ceded to the King of Portugal.

EAST INDIA COMPANY
The East India Co. by 1615 AD had set its base at Surat. From surat it steadily strengthened its hold on the trade of Western India. Realising the immense naturak advantages of Mumbai Islands, the Surat Council of the East India Company urged upon the London Authorities to purchase the Mumbai Islands from the Portugese. This was achieved in 1661 when under the Marriage Treaty between Charles ii of Great Britain and the Infanta Catherien of Portugal, the Port and the Islands of Mumbai were transferred to the Kind of Great Britain, his heirs and successors. The British sold the Port and the Islands of Mumbai to the East India Co. in 1668 at the annual quit rent of 10 pounds. The East India Company took measures for encouragement of trade like construction of Custom House, Warehouses, Mole Stations, etc. In 1672, the President of the Surat Council and the Governer of Mumbai transferred the company's hearquarters from the Surat to Mumbai. Trade through Mumbai grew rapidly. From 1735, Mumbai was famous as a Ship Building Centre, thanks mainly to the genius of the celebrated Wadia family. Many famous ships were built in Mumbai for the Company's services, notable among them being "Scaleby Castle", "Buckingamshire", etc. Indian exports through Mumbai consisted in those days raw silk, Calicoes, diamond, tea, paper, porcelain, pepper, herbs and drugs etc. Imports from England consisted of woollen garments, lead, quicksilver, harware and bullion. What really started off the Mumbai Port with a bang was the sudden spurt in the cotton trade with China in 1770. The cotton trade with China continued till 1880. With the reduction in custom duty from 6 percent to 2 1/2 percent in 1795 and the continuous immigration of traders from Surat gave firther clip to Mumbai's trade and the growth of Mumbai's external commerce led to the appointment in 1801 of a Reporter of External Commerce for recording details of the Trade. The ending of the East India Comapny's trading monopoly by the British Parliament in 1813 set in a remarkable expansion of trade. The first steam vessel despatched from England to India was the "Enterprise". In 1843, Mumbai had been brought within 30days of London and 2 years later, a fortnightly service was started. Year 1858 saw the end of East India Co. and Mumbai passed under the direct rule of the British Crown.

HISTORICAL BACK GROUND OF MUMBAI CUSTOM HOUSE
The Bombay Presidency being a part of British India was working under the Bombay Presidency. The Bombay Custom House was headed by the Collector of Customs reporting to the Commissioner of Customs, Salt, Appeal and Abkari, of the Bombay Presidency. Before 1911 the Custom department at Mumbai was accommodated in two main buildings namely the Fort Custom House and the Brach Custom House at the Princess Docks. The Fort Custom House was an old two storied building in which an imperial opium department, Statistical department, Import, Export, MCD, Drawback, Preventive Services, Cash, Accounts, Correspondence, Record, Port health office and Office of Collector of Customs and Commissioner of Customs, Salt, Appeal and Apkari were located. Similarly, certain departments administered by the Collector of Bombay, like Salt revenue, Coast guard service were located in this building. This building was allotted sometime in 1922 to the District Collector of Bombay and others government offices and was known as Old Custom House. In the Branch Custom House at the Princess Docks were located, the Appraising and Gazing department of Bombay Customs, Cash office, Coastal Trade Establishment dealing with the country crafts and certain steam ship lines etc., and offices of Asstt. Collector. This Custom House was then known as Docks Custom House. The Government of India appointed a committee in 1907 to consider the question of arrangements to be made for the transaction of the Custom business on completion of new Docks under the construction, by Bombay Port Trust. At the relevant time the Customs department was working at the Government of India level under the department of Commerce and Industry. The committee recommended on 16.07.1907 the closing of the Fort Custom House and construction of new Central Custom House on site located by them. Consequent of that decision on general plan and sketch an estimate of cost were prepared for the New Custom House to be constructed on the consolidated site (site of New Custom House, Mumbai ) were taken and submitted for the approval of Government of India. There used to be a King’s warehouse in the Fort Custom House wherein gold, of which custom departmenthas taken charge was stored for safe custody.
A final approval for the construction of New Custom House at Mumbai was granted on 25.11.1911 at the cost of Rs. 22 lacs including cost of main building and old building. The structural cost of the main building was Rs.15.42 lacs and has foundation of average depth of 30ft. beneath the harbour mud. At the relevant time the New Custom House was unique building of this nature and highest constructional rate of 8 anna per cubic feet was estimated.
The Commissioner of Customs, Salt, Central Excise, Mumbai has declared in exercise of the powers of Section 11 of Sea Custom Act, 1878 the building as New Custom House near the Ballard Pier for the purpose of the said act and its limits were fixed as :

West : Nichol Road
North : Public Road
East : Sportt Road
South : Ballard Road

The governor in council of Bombay Presidency vide Notification issued on 12.04.1901 under section 11 of Sea Custom Act, 1878 declared the Bombay as chief port and attached 72 minor ports to it and Karachi as chief port of Sind and attached six minor ports to it for the purpose of shipment and of landing of goods. The governor in council of Bombay Presidency on 15.01.1986 fixed and declared the limits of the port of Bombay which were revised on 21.05.1912 which are still in existence and operational. The Customs administration was regulated by Sea Customs Act, 1878 and certain other allied acts which were in operation up to 1962 when all the stuatory provisions were consolidated and The Indian Customs Act, 1962 were enacted.

ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF CUSTOM HOUSE
The Custom House, Mumbai existed much before, 1878 when the Sea Custom Act, 1878 was enacted, which was subsequently replaced by Custom Act, 1962. Initially, the jurisdiction of Custom House, Bombay extended over the port and city limits of Bombay as well as the area in the vicinity of Airport. The anti-smuggling activities in these area were a part of functions of the Custom House including the clearance of passengers at Airport and Cargo at Air Cargo Complex. During the later half of the sixties, there was a sudden spurt in the smuggling activities and to fight the ever increasing smuggling menace and to strengthen the Anti-smuggling machinery on the west coast, the Commissionerate of Customs (Preventive) was set up in 1970 under a separate Collector of Customs (Preventive) by taking into its fold the Rummaging and Intelligence division of the Custom House and Marine and Preventive division of the Central Excise, Bombay and the Gold Control. The Customs activities at the Airport and Air Cargo Complex continued with the Mumbai Custom House till 1983 when a separate Collectorate of Customs, Sahar Airport was set up, which was divided into Collectorate of Customs, Airport and Collectorate of Customs, Air Cargo Complex in 1997. This was necessitated because of the remarkable increase in the air traffic with the introduction of wide bodies aircrafts and for effective control of day to day administration at the Airport and Air Cargo Complex. The New Custom House, Bombay was later on divided into three separate Commissionerates in July, 1997 namely Commissionerate of Customs (Imports),
Commissionerate of Customs (Export Promotion) and Commissionerate of Customs (General). The import Commissionerate deals with the appraising and examination of import cargo. The Commissionerate of Customs (Export Promotion) deals with assessment of Export and export related import and examination of export cargo. The Commissionerate of Customs (General) deals with the land, building, vehicles, estate, accommodation, MCD, audit, cash, accounts, computers, CIU, Vigilance, UB Centre, Personnel and Estatblishment, Customs revenue control laboratory and Preventive Service Organisation including Gr. 'D' Estt. and CHA.

The New Custom House, Mumbai is also housing the Commissioner of Customs (appeals) and Commissioner of Customs (adjudication).