MADURAI: Passport related services have been significantly enhanced by the Madurai Regional Passport Office and the time taken for processing of passport applications has come down following several measures taken to make it easy for the applicants.
“Normal passport applications are now being processed very fast and in coordination with the police department, it takes just 11 working days to complete the process and we dispatch immediately to the applicants. So, go for tatkal process only if it is very urgently required because you are anyhow getting the passport easily and in fast mode in the normal process itself,”Mr.B.Vasanthan IFS, Regional Passport Officer-Madurai, has said while speaking to reporters at a press meet held at Regional Passport Office here today-January 29th 2025.
He informed that in the year 2024, totally 2,89,603 passport applications were received and processed by the Regional Passport Office in Madurai out of which 2,79,988 passport related services were rendered to the applicants.
“The RPO had issued 2,59,443 passports and 20,545 police clearance certificates during the year 2024. When compared to previous year, it has increased by 14,033. In the year 2023, the number of applications received was 2,72,896 out of which 2,65,955 passport related services were rendered to the applicants. Passports issued were 2,48,920 and 17,035 police clearance certificates were issued in the year 2023,” the Regional Passport Officer said.
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In 2024, the services of POPSKs were enhanced considering the demand of public in places like Devakottai, Ramanathapuram and Nagercoil. “We also conducted 10 awareness programs in various colleges under RPO Madurai Region. Students were told about how to apply for passport through online and also using the Digilocker system for uploading the required documents. I want to tell the public and especially youngsters to use the mobile app for passport and it is very easy like the IRCTC portal,” Mr.B.Vasanthan added.
He further informed that a passport grievance cell was opened in October 2023 to redress the grievances of passport applicants. “In 2024, we received 32,090 grievances out of which 31,865 were redressed. On an average, the grievances are being settled in just two to three days. We also conducted two passport adalats in 2024 to scrutinize and settle the long pending complex applications of eligible applicants,” he said and also added that procedures have been simplified to get passports for minor applicants quickly by their parents. Mr.S.Alagesan, Deputy Passport Officer at Regional Passport Office in Madurai, was present at the press meet here today-January 29th 2025.
