Passports can now be obtained in 4 days

Passports can now be obtained in 4 days

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, May 14: People can now obtain passports four days after applying for them, as long as police verification is not required. Tatkal passports can be obtained on the same day. So far, people had to wait for nearly 30 - 45 days to get a passport. These changes are because the Passport Collection Centre has been upgraded to a Passport Seva Kendra, which started functioning in an air-conditioned office at Navabharat Circle recently. 

T. V. Nagendra Prasad, the director of the Passport Seva Project, was in Mangalore till yesterday to establish the Seva Kendra. He said that people can fix appointments online and complete the process of submitting documents, taking their photograph, and giving their thumb prints within quarter of an hour. A token system is used in the Kendra to help people submit their applications and verify their documents. The Kendra has not yet been formally inaugurated; but it processed 60 - 70 applications on Wednesday and Thursday. 

Mr. Prasad also said that a call centre has been established to answer queries and that it will be open 14 hours daily. An IVRS (interactive voice response system) will be set up to function for 24 hours per day. 

The Ministry of External Affairs launched the Passport Seva Kendra project nearly a year back. The software has been provided by Tata Consultancy Service. A total of 77 offices will be set up all over the country to speed the process of issuing passports and screening photographs. Karnataka will have 5 such Kendras, of which 2 will be in Bangalore and 1 each will be located in Mangalore and Hubli. A mini-centre will be set up in Gulbarga.