Apropos Sunil Sethi’s article “Off-key and off-queue” (March 31), contrary to the author, I had a great experience at the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK). I had been deferring applying for the renewal of my passport and was dreading the process of getting hold of the manifold documents, filling forms and queuing up at the office. However, the no-objection certificate issued by my PSU employer was about to expire and so I had to get down to business.
I had read about the PSK in newspapers and an Internet search led me to its website, which is very customer-friendly. It gave me all the details I needed — how to fill the online or e-form, the documents required, the process at the PSK, the fees and so on. Filling the e-form was simple but scheduling an appointment with the passport issuing authority proved to be difficult. However, with persistence, I was able to get one and went to the PSK at the appointed hour.
I must say there was virtual chaos at the counter where tokens are issued after the document check. And too many people were coming out of the queue. Some said they had confirmed the documents required from the Regional Passport Office and yet were being asked to provide additional documents. I, too, faced a similar predicament. The website had stated that in case the address in the new passport is same as that in the old one, no address proof was required. But I was asked to get it anyway. However, after this, things went smoothly. The electronic counters were updated on a real-time basis and the staff was civil. I received my passport in three working days from the date of my visit to the PSK. I got an email and an SMS with the speed-post tracking number. The entire process was lightning fast and a refreshing change from the time when I had first got a passport a decade ago.
Ankur Pathak Ahmedabad
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