The processes of getting fresh passports and renewing them have been made much easier, according to Regional Passport Officer S. Maniswara Raja.
Speaking at an event at Madurai District Tiny & Small-Scale Industries Association (MADITSSIA) Hall on Monday, he said 2.35 lakh passports had already been issued in Madurai city.
Last year, over 11 lakh passports were issued in Theni, Sivaganga, Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari and Dindigul districts. The office had conducted melas in remote areas so that residents did not have to travel all the way to Madurai office.
Appointments could be booked one day prior to actual verification day. With queries that could now be answered through WhatsApp, he said, the applicants could know their passport status by just typing out the file number. Grievance meetings were held and e-services to book online appointments held every day.