Srinagar Nov 5 (KNS): Setting up history, the passport office here has issued over 60,000 passports this year to people.
Firdous Iqbal, Passport officer Srinagar told KNS around 63,000 applications were processed during the year, which is around 300 per day.
“This is the highest figure in history of Passport Office Srinagar. Previously, 61400 passport services were issued in 2012. Around 63,000 applications were processed during the year, which is around 300 per day,” Iqbal told KNS.
He said after 2012, the Passport Office Srinagar has issued around more than 2, 40,000 passport related services to people. In 2012, commissioning of Passport Seva Kendra at Srinagar was started.
The passport officer said that to streamline the processing, measures like accepting self attested copies of requisite documents, waiver from production of original certificates for students, acceptance of verification certificates for Tatkal without any jurisdiction of verifying certificate issuing authorities and exemption to orphan, abandoned children born after 1989 were taken.
He said that due to tireless efforts of this office besides functioning of office on some off days, the appointment cycle was brought down to 8 working days.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
“Twelve ‘Passport Melas’ were held on off days to facilitate those applicants which otherwise could not get appointments. Also waiver of fee for a period six months was granted to all those Passport holders who had lost, damaged their Passports in 2014 floods,” he said.
He said the passport office has started conducting Passport Camps to reach to public. “Three Passport Camps have already been conducted at Kargil and Leh and efforts are on to conduct more camps at other locations in the valley,” he said.
He said that Passport Office Srinagar was also successful in ensuring hassle-free crossing of Cross LoC passengers at Kaman and Teetwal. Extension in stay was also granted to the desired eligible permit holders.
He said record number of around 28,000 Haj aspirants in 2015 from Kashmir Zone had submitted their passports before the State Haj Committee which is testimony to the performance of this office in facilitating maximum possible number of passports applicants. (KNS)