Thiruvananthapuram: The regional passport office here will strengthen the passport-related service being offered by Akshaya centres to counter the tout menace at Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs). As a prelude to this, a training session on passport services was conducted for Akshaya Kendras in the district at the PSK at Vazhuthacaud on Saturday. Efforts are being made to set up an Akshaya centre help desk at PSKs. DC had earlier brought to light the difficulties faced by the public at the PSKs and the fleecing of applicants by the touts.
While the touts even mislead the passport applicants and charge up to Rs 500 for basic services, the Akshaya centres are offering these services at a rate of about Rs 100. There were even allegations that the touts had the blessings of major political parties and that even some party activists were working as touts. “Many persons who make online booking through Akshaya centres are even trapped by the touts once they reach the PSKs by providing misleading information and charge undue service charges. Even well-educated people are falling to this trap,” said regional passport officer Ashique Karattil.
The representatives from over 100 Akshaya centres attended the training programme. Similar sessions would be conducted at other PSKs under the Thiruvananthapuram regional passport office, he said. Talks would be initiated with Akshaya director on the possibility of opening an Aksahya centre or a help desk at the PSK, he added. On the lack of seating facilities for applicants at the PSKs, the passport officer said that though seats were earlier provided, it led to overcrowding near the entrance of PSKs as applicants used to arrive much ahead of the time allotted to them.
