SRINAGAR, FEB, 19: Despite tall claims of Passport Kender Srinagar to provide duplicate passport to the flood victims whose passports were either damaged or missing during last year September Flood fury, the applicants allege inconvenience and harassment.
“My passport got missing in flood and I applied for the duplicate before two months after following the proper procedure. Since then I am running pillar to post due to official apathy”, said Malik Sajid, a Srinagar based scribe. He said that everytime I visited the passport office they are asking for a new formality. Sajid asked ironically they failed to give a proper check list to the applicant to avoid any inconvenience.
Pertinently the passport Kender Srinagar has been outsourced to TATA Consultancy since 2012. Other applicants waiting in long queues at passport office Srinagar also alleged that the outsource system of the passport Kender has added to the woes of people as there is nobody to listen which has affected the accountability of the department.
“After waiting in queues since morning they asked me to mention the passport number in the FIR. I wonder I am asking for duplicate and they have all records of my previous passport so why to drag the procedure. My credentials are clearly mentioned in police FIR and my passport is missing so where from I get my passport number”, Malik said.
Another applicant Jahangir Malik of Karanagar said that he followed the procedure for duplicate passport for nearly 20 days after that he give up as the outsourcing staff failed to provide one time check list which hardly is bearable. “I have to take leave from office to visit passport Kender. How can I manage to follow it for months together if they make it so complicated”, Jahangir told.
Many applicants said that the appointment schedules earlier was time specific adding that the applicants were supposed to wait for just 15 minutes. they said now applicants are forced to wait for hours in long queues. Applicants ask that why not there is Passport Kender situated in there respective districts like it is elsewhere in country. TATA consultancy manager when asked said the staff has huge load of applicants adding at least 400 applicants are supposed to attend. He said it is obvious the staff itself faces hectic work hours.