Surge in applications: Special camps for passport seekers
AMRITSAR: After it was made mandatory for pilgrims to Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan to carry a passport, the number of passport seekers has increased sharply in the past few months. Since the pilgrimage which begins on November 9, the regional passport office (RPO) of Amritsar will organise special camps in Abohar and Fazilka to process passport applications.
“We are receiving more than 1,000 passport applications every day, while the count went up to 1200 applications daily in this month. In 2018, RPO Amritsar had issued 2,26,000 passports and we have already issued more than 2 lakh passports this year.
We are expecting to issue about 20,000 passports each in the coming month with regard to the Kartarpur pilgrimage,” said Munish Kapoor, Amritsar passport officer.
Since many elderly people, who wish to make the pilgrimage, do not have passports, and cannot even travel to Amritsar to apply for one, RPO will hold special camps across Punjab for people to submit applications. The camps will be held from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm at ITI Malout Road Fazilka on November 5 and at DAV college of education at Hanumangarh Road Abohar on November 6.
“People from areas near Abohar and Fazilka can also apply. They have to fill an online application form available on www.passportindia.gov.in from October 31 (Thursday), deposit the required fee and then book their appointments at Abohar and Fazilka. Their documents will be verified at the camp and they won’t be asked to visit Amritsar for the procedure,” said the passport officer. The RPO will issue passports within 10 days after verification of the documents, he said. More camps will be organised at the same locations if needed, he said.
CAMPS AT ABOHAR, FAZILKA AFTER NUMBER OF PASSPORTS APPLICATIONS SPIKED BY MORE THAN 10% IN PAST TWO MONTHS