The long-pending demand for a Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) is all set to become a reality. The hassle of standing in long queues at the Regional Passport Office in Chennai to submit an application for a passport will soon become a thing of the past.
The Puducherry Government has earmarked the premises maintained by the Department of Animal Husbandry where the Passport Application Collection Centre is functioning at present for the PSK, which will start functioning in next four months.
“The kendra, catering to residents of Puducherry and Karaikal, will receive applications, check and scan the documents, take photographs of the applicants and capture their biometric fingerprints, besides speeding up the issue of passports. Candidates from neighbouring districts of Cuddalore and Villupuram can also submit their applications at the kendra. Passports will be printed in Chennai and despatched to the PSK here,” C. Senthil Pandian, Regional Passport Officer, Chennai, told The Hindu .
Mr. Pandian said the RPO in Chennai had been witnessing a steady increase in number of applications from Puducherry and Karaikal regions. On an average, 75 applications were received from Puducherry daily.
While the number of applications was 1,934 in 2011, it increased to 11,335 in 2012, 12,139 in 2013 and 10,549 till November 7 (2014). The RPO was conducting the first passport seva camp in Puducherry. The entire set up at the RPO in Chennai had been brought to Puducherry to facilitate online submission of applications.
Over 200 applicants were expected to benefit from the camp. Priority would be given to those who had registered online.
The first passport seva camp in Tamil Nadu would be held in Cuddalore on November 15 and 16. “We have plans to hold more outreach camps across the State,” he said.
Earlier Chief Minister N. Rangasamy inaugurated a passport seva camp and handed over acknowledgment slips to the applicants.
