Bangalore: The Central Govt of India has presently upgraded all 77 new Passport Service Centers (PSC) opened on experimental basis in the country during May 2010, including Mangalore, to enable people seeking outgoing services fast, at theses offices converted now to permanent passport centres.
Regional Transport Officer, Dr. K.J Shrinivas, informed a crowded press meeting in city on Friday (April29) that 4 Passport Centres functioned in Karnataka, 2 in Bangalore and one each in Hubli and Mangalore. They will provide full-scale services on getting a passport hereafter, he stated.
There was a huge jump in the number of passport applications in the last 11 months. More such PS centres are like to be opened consequently to cope with the rush. The permission for such step would come in the next phase, he added.
The department had been making all efforts for a speedy disposal of passports (issue). But staff shortage was recurring in the dept., Dr Srinivas disclosed. Additional working hours and work on Saturdays, serving the needy on preference, disposal of 32,000 applications in an year, were some of the measures taken (or introduced over the months) to raise departmental efficiency, through hard work, he mentioned.
Scrutiny of each application gets long time, particularly in the police department, as police personnel have to verify addresses given by various applications, which is their additional duty, he stated.
The practice of accepting applications from private agencies had been stopped for obvious reasons, he reminded. Fake documents were included (or attached to) the applications in Bangalore One centre, he pointed out.
People going abroad and wanting to get a passport henceforth, have to apply through the internet, the RTO Dr.K.J Srinivas advised applicants, in a press meet here on Friday.