The Hindu Business Line : New facilities at passport office in Kochi

Kochi, June 23 In order to issue passports expeditiously and error-free, the Regional Passport Office at Kochi has decided to accept only online registered applications from normal and tatkal category applicants.

Those applicants who do not have access to Internet or are unfamiliar with online filing can avail of the services of ex-servicemen or physically-challenged at the passport office service centre by paying Rs 50, a press release said. The appointment date and time given by the system will be ignored and applicants are free to submit forms any day, any time during working hours of the Regional Passport Office (RPO), a release said.

A special passport adalat will be conducted at the RPO on June 27 and will be open to all those who have applied for a passport and have any grievance.

They can attend the adalat without registration or appointment from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Passport office employees have volunteered to do this service on a holiday in order to help office-goers who are otherwise unable to attend daily passport adalats conducted at the RPO.

Modifications

The earlier practice of manual observation on the passport for correction of personal particulars, spouse name, infusion and renewal of validity on a miscellaneous form have been done away with as it creates problem for applicants at the immigration both in India and abroad.

For such service, a fresh passport will be issued for the prescribed fees.

Applicants can apply for such services under Tatkal category.

The entry gate to the RPO will be kept open from early morning to help applicants from far-flung areas, who queue up from wee hours. In order to manage the queue, general and Tatkal applicants will be separated and will be attended to separately.

While the general category applicants will be attended to at the hall on the ground floor, Tatkal applicants will be ushered into a hall on the first floor.

A computer has been installed at the entrance of the RPO for applicants to check the status of their applications themselves.

This is expected to reduce crowd at the enquiry counter.

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