Passport office, BSNL tie up for SMS enquiry service

The Uttar Pradesh Regional Passport Office has joined hands with the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), UP-East Circle, to make available passport-related queries and information to its customers on their mobile phones.

The new service is called "Passport Query through SMS". It is regarded as a step towards simplification of the process of applicants' query.

Under this facility, BSNL mobile users would be able to get information about the status of their passport application simply by sending an SMS. They, in return, will get an SMS indicating the status of their passport.

This is first-of-its-kind service launched in the country for passport enquiry.

Currently, it is applicable for all passport applications registered with the Regional Passport Office, Lucknow and in future it is expected to cover all regional passport centres in the country.

Explaining as to how the new service would work, it was informed that all passport-related data are updated in the server of the Regional Passport Office and it would be made accessible to BSNL SMS server through internet.

Any applicant sending an SMS shall get information from the data available at server of the Regional Passport Office.

Talking about the new initiative, passport officer Zahur H Zaidi, said: "By the introduction of SMS enquiry, we would be accessible to a huge number of applicants. We have associated with BSNL for evolving a simple but effective technology to make information available on mobile phones."

Explaining further, he added that each query would cost the subscriber Rs 1.50. "But it will save the applicants from the trouble of visiting our office and waiting in long queues. The service would be available 24 hours a day round the year, even on holidays."

The service is now available in 48 districts of eastern and central UP that the passport office has its presence in, while the number of BSNL subscribers in these areas is over 4 million.