Shortage of booklets leads to pendency, citizens cry foul
Picture for representational purpose
Hyderabad:The city is facing a shortage of passport booklets with 49,111 passports pending for printing and dispatch, the highest across the country. As per the ministry of external affairs, as on August 11, a total of 41,000 passports are still in transit and the Regional Passport Office in Hyderabad has a stock of 11,749. After Hyderabad, it’s Lucknow with a pendency of 42,486, Kolkata with 42,331 and, Bengaluru with 31,910.
In 2013-14, a total of 85 lakh passports were issued in India and abroad (Indians who applied from other countries). Over 2,800 passports are printed per day at the RPO Hyderabad. The passport booklets are manufactured at the India Security Press in Nasik, which publishes 30,000-40,000 every day. Owing to the increased demand, the press had raised its capacity by 16,000 from February this year. However, it is still hard pressed to meet the targets.
Despite the undivided Andhra Pradesh topping the country for having the fastest police verification, many applicants are still waiting for their fresh or renewed passports, both normal and jumbo books.
As per norms, a normal passport should take a maximum of 30-45 days and a Tatkal passport should take less than a week. The procedure starts with an online application, payment of the fees and receiving an Application Reference Number (ARN). One can also walk in and register.
After booking a certain window time-frame, an applicant has to visit the chosen Passport Seva Kendra and submit the necessary documents, biometric data and attested copies. Post this, the police verification is followed within a week and a Police Cleara-nce Certificate is issued. Once the PCC is issued, the passport is printed, laminated, sent for quality check and then dispatched.
“I had applied for my passport in the second week of June after which the police verification happened within a week. I have been waiting since then for my passport. When I check the online tracking system, a message pops up saying that the police report has been submitted by the Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad City and action for passport printing is initiated, to be followed by lamination, signing, quality check and dispatch.” said an applicant.
In some cases, applicants receive no communication from the passport office in cases of an adverse report during the police verification or if their Police Clearance Certificate is not passed and whether they have to re-confirm details or re-submit some of their documents.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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