The Hindu Business Line : Kolkata passport office to use Webel services

Kolkata March 30 The Regional Passport Office in Kolkata has decided to engage the services of West Bengal Electronics Industry Development Corporation (Webel) for collection of passport application forms with a view to expediting issuance of passports, according to Mr M.K. Singh, Regional Passport Officer in Kolkata.

According to the arrangement, Webel will initially set up one or two collection centres — or even appoint franchisees/agents — in different parts of the city for collecting passport application forms. These forms would then be sent directly for police verification. The police would then conclude the verification process before sending the papers to RPO for issuance of passports.

The initiative is expected to speed up the police verification process and even decongest RPO that is located at the central business district here. RPO would pay Webel Rs 55 per passport application collected and forwarded to the police.

This charge would not be passed on to the applicant, Mr Singh said, adding that a similar arrangement was already in place in Bangalore. In fact, a team from RPO Kolkata would soon go to Bangalore to study the operations there.

Already, the Ministry of External Affairs has tied up with the postal administration for collection of passport application forms at select Speed Post counters.

Mr Singh said a number of decisions had been taken to simplify passport issuance procedures. These include revising the rules relating to issue and re-issue of passports, list of documents to be submitted for speedy issuance of passports and revising the list of authorities competent to issue Verification Certificates.

RPO Kolkata receives about 1,200 applications for passports daily. It issues, on an average, 900 passports a day, according to Mr Singh.

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