BENGALURU: A mobile passport van that can reach remote areas across Karnataka to collect passport applications was handed over to the Regional Passport Office in Bengaluru on Tuesday by the Ministry of External Affairs. Its destinations are being worked out and it will be put into use shortly.
Regional Passport Officer, Bengaluru, K Krishna, told TNIE, “This is like a temporary Passport Seva Kendra and it will focus on areas which do not have a Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or a Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK) in their vicinity. It will help the public to avoid long travel by collecting all the documents at a Passport Seva Camp held within their area using the vehicle.”
This is being done in partnership with Tata Consultancy Services.
The van can handle a maximum of 40 applications per day. “The dates of the van visiting a particular area will be publicised in advance so that advance appointments can be booked under a specific section on the website.
Only fresh passports or renewal of passports in the normal process can be done in this van. Tatkal, Police Clearance Certificates or other miscellaneous applications to the passport office will not be accepted here,” he said.
Staff on board the van will collect the application forms, capture photo and biometrics of the applicant and verify the application too. “The passport will later reach one’s residence and there is no need to visit the passport office,” Krishna said.
The operation details are being planned. The present plan is to use it at Tumakuru, Chikkamagaluru or interior areas of North Karnataka, the RPO added.
“In Bengaluru, which already has two passport offices and a POPSK, it will only be sent if we get special requests from a University to procure passports for many students or from centres where people with disabilities reside who would find it difficult to visit passport offices. RPOs like Ranchi and Patna have already started operating such a Mobile van,” he said.