Staff shortage has hit the functioning of the Kozhikode passport office, which caters to four districts in north Kerala.
The total sanctioned strength at the four Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs) in Kozhikode, Vadakara, Payannur and Kannur is 77. But, the number has dwindled, following the transfer of 20 employees to Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal and Chennai, and the retirement of eight others, including senior superintendents, in December.
The posts of two deputy passport officers have been lying vacant since 2013.
Increase in workload
“The workload has increased by 30 to 40% with the Ministry of External Affairs relaxing the norms on submitting birth certificates for applying for passports. A spurt in the number of applications has also been witnessed owing to the summer vacation and the upcoming Haj season,” Regional Passport Officer K.P. Madhusoodanan told The Hindu .
Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode and Wayanad districts come under the jurisdiction of the Kozhikode passport office. Annually, the office issues around three lakh passports. Last year, the figure was 2,82,106, besides the issuance of 7,867 police clearance certificates. In January 2017, the number of passport applications received was 28,487 compared to 26,121 the corresponding period last year. “It is going to increase in February and March going by the trend,” he said.
The four PSKs give appointment to 1,700 to 1,800 persons based on online applications. Normally if a person applies for passport online, the applicant is given an appointment within two days. “At present, an applicant has to wait for more than 10 days,” Mr. Madhusoodanan said.
To clear the rush, the passport office will conduct an adalat at all PSKs on March 4. “The appointments are almost full. The staff, including the 18 officers, have been requested to work overtime to tide over the crisis. An officer from each PSK has been temporarily shifted to the main office at Eranhipalam to speed up work,” he added
The Kozhikode passport office has decided to set up a postal PSK in Kasaragod district by March 31. “But this will take time as equipment has to be purchased, tenders have to be invited and personnel should be imparted training,” he said.
