MEA-sponsored passport camp evokes good response

MYSURU: Dinesh Hegde and Chirag, both private company employees, were lucky to be slotted in the first-of-its-kind Passport Seva Camp which is under way in Mysuru. The duo got an appointment on the very first day of the two-day camp on Saturday. Their appointments made both of them enroll for a passports for their relatives without hassles and expenditure. "Having a passport office in Mysuru will help people in five districts of south Karnataka," says Dinesh, a bank employee.
He booked an appointment online and completed the process for passport for his daughter at Mysuru zilla panchayat office, where the camp is on. Dinesh said travelling to Bengaluru to apply for passports will burn a hole in his pocket. "One needs to spend a minimum of Rs 2,500 for food, travelling and hotel stay in the capital to apply for passports. This (holding a passport camp) is a good initiative and must be done at regular intervals until a permanent passport centre comes up. Kerala, despite being a smaller state than Karnataka, has over dozen passport centres.
Our state has just four," he rued. While Bengaluru has two Passport Seva Kendras, Mangaluru and Hubballi have one each. Chirag was one among the 300 people slotted for enrollment of passport from old Mysuru region. His businessman-father Dinesh Kumar completed the formalities at the camp being conducted by the ministry of external affairs (MEA). Another applicant, on condition of anonymity, said that the officers manning the camp were helpful and gave them a chance to correct errors in documents. "At Bengaluru passport offices, officers straightaway reject the application, and ask us to apply afresh if they find any mistakes in applications," he added. Bengaluru passport office superintendent Preethi told STOI that nearly 300 have been slotted at the camp (150 each day).
"We have also enrolled some direct applicants," she added. At the inauguration, regional passport officer P S Karthigeyan said that the response to the camp is good. Meanwhile, the ministry is working to ensure that passports are delivered within four weeks after the receipt of application. The proposal to have a passport centre in Mysuru is also under consideration, officers said. DC C Shikha was present.