Mangalore: Poor Facilities at Passport Office - Congress Protests

Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (NM)

Mangalore, Jul 17: The district Congress led by KPCC secretary Ivan D'Souza on Tuesday July 17 raised their voice demanding better facilities at the city's passport office.

Holding a protest in front of the passport office in Kodialbail, Ivan D'Souza said that the office lacks basic facilities for the passport applicants.

"There are no facilities like seating arrangements, washroom, canteen, parking area etc, which are necessary as the applicants have to wait for hours to get their work done," he said.

"The staff at the passport centre are incompetent and do not have knowledge of computers. There is online system to apply for passport, but they are unable to guide the applicants," he said.

Ivan said that as basic facilities are lacking, the centre should be shifted to the taluk office or the DC's office premises.

"Every day, nearly 450 applicants come to the passport office, but they don't even have place to sit. Women and senior citizens are made to stand for hours in queues, many a time on the roadside," he said, adding that with better facilities, the number of applicants per day should be increased to 600.

He also demanded walk-in facility to apply for passport, apart from a helpline in the office to assist the applicants and the illiterate.

"A copy of our demands will be sent to union external affairs minister S M Krishna," he added.

When the protestors tried to gatecrash and enter the passport office, police took charge and stopped them. A minor clash erupted, after which the passport officials themselves came outside to address the protestors. They assured that their demands will be forwarded to the regional office and action will be taken accordingly.

Former mayors Shashidhar Hegde, Ashraf, secretary of district Congress T K Sudhir, corporator Gretta Rebello, Youth Congress leaders Mithun Rai, Praveenchandra Alva and others were present.