For tramways

Iron or steel rails for tramways

SIMS CLEARANCE

HSN 7302 10 20 (Rails for tramways) requires compulsory advance registration under the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under Policy Condition 2 of Chapter 73, as notified by DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020. Importers must obtain an automatic SIMS registration number before the expected date of arrival; the registration fee is ₹500 and the registration remains valid for 75 days.

What this is

HSN code

7302 10 20

Chapter

73 · Articles of iron or steel

Primary regulator

SIMS · Policy Condition 2 of Chapter 73, ITC (HS); DGFT Notification 33/2015-20

Customs documentation

SIMS registration number from DGFT
Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from exporter
ITC (HS) policy compliance declaration

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

SIMSSIMS·Steel Import Monitoring System

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Compliance steps

1
Register the import on the SIMS online portal and obtain an automatic registration number by paying ₹500. Apply no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival; the registration is valid for 75 days and must be live at the time of bill of entry filing.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/23 dated 28-08-2023 · Policy Condition 2 of Chapter 73
2
For imports of used rails or cut rails of any length under ITC (HS) code 7302, produce a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from the exporting country indicating permissible background radiation levels, and ensure the contract stipulates the absence of radioactive contamination before the bill of entry is filed.
ITC (HS) Condition 1 to Chapter 73

A word of counsel

The SIMS carve-outs for SEZ-origin goods and re-imports for packaging are narrowly drawn: steel re-imported solely for packaging (without value addition) falls outside SIMS, as do DTA-SEZ-DTA movements with or without value addition — but any other import, including tramway rails sourced through a trading intermediary, remains subject to registration. Misreading the SEZ carve-out as a general exemption for goods transiting a free-trade zone produces a bill-of-entry without a valid SIMS number, which attracts detention and ground rent at the port of import.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7302 10 20 require BIS certification?

No, tramway rails are not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. Import is governed by the Steel Import Monitoring System under DGFT Policy Condition 2 of Chapter 73, with SIMS advance registration and, for used rails, a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate for radioactive contamination.

Has the mandatory 15-day advance registration requirement under SIMS been abolished?

Yes. The minimum 15-day advance registration requirement was abolished by DGFT Notification 19/2015-20 dated 07-07-2022; registration may now be applied for at any time up to the 60th day before the expected date of arrival.

Is SIMS registration required when steel rails are re-imported from an SEZ into the Domestic Tariff Area?

No. Per DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022, DTA-to-SEZ steel exports re-imported into the DTA — whether with or without value addition — do not require SIMS registration.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: SIMS / DGFT / Indian Customs CUSDATA.