Madhya Pradesh: Customs issues special notification for cheetahs

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): In the ambitious project to reintroduce cheetahs in India, the Customs Department made special arrangements to clear the customs procedure quickly at Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia Airport, Gwalior. 

As part of Prime Minister's Project Cheetah, 12 more cheetahs from South Africa were brought to Gwalior airport by Globemaster cargo aircraft of the Indian Air Force at 10 am on Saturday. 

Sameer Chitkara, Customs commissioner of the State, informed here on Monday that since Gwalior airport is not a Customs-notified airport, thus a special notification was issued in September last year, especially for the cheetah project. He said that last Saturday along with 12 cheetahs, 4 cheetah experts from Africa also reached Gwalior. Just after the landing of the special aircraft of the Indian Air Force, all procedures related to Customs were immediately cleared by the Customs commissionerate, Indore in coordination with various agencies. The process was completed under the guidance of Navneet Goel, chief commissioner, Customs and CGST, Bhopal Zone and Sameer Chitkara, commissioner Customs, Indore. Chitkara says that the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs feels proud to be a part of this ambitious project of the country.

On 17 September 2022, the first batch of 8 cheetahs from Namibia arrived in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park, where they were released as part of the programme to reintroduce the feline in India. Out of the 8 cheetahs, 5 are female and 3 are male.