Residents of Dharwad are facing significant difficulties after the dedicated Aadhaar service centre in their city was abruptly shut down and relocated to Hubballi. The centre, which was conveniently located opposite the KC Park post office, ceased operations on November 28, leaving a major service gap for the local population.
Sudden Closure and Relocation Causes Public Anger
The Aadhaar Seva Kendra in Dharwad was officially closed after the contract of the private service organisation operating it expired on November 30. A notice board at the old location now informs citizens that the facility has been shifted to Keshwapur in Hubballi. This move has compelled people from Dharwad and its surrounding rural areas to undertake a lengthy and costly journey to Hubballi for essential Aadhaar-related work.
Local resident Basavaraj Hiremath from Yadwad village highlighted the severe impact, stating, "Now that it is closed, it is a great inconvenience for the people, especially rural residents." The Dharwad centre was known for being customer-friendly, offering services like new Aadhaar registration, renewals, and problem resolution at a low cost. It featured a proper seating area, a token system, and dedicated staff, serving more than 100 people every day.
Widespread Service Disruption and Lack of Alternatives
While Aadhaar services are technically available at other locations such as banks, post offices, and HD One centres, these lack dedicated Aadhaar staff. This results in considerable delays for critical updates including:
- Changes to name, address, mobile number, or email.
- Updates to photographs, fingerprints, and iris scans.
- Biometric updates for children.
A major point of contention is the operating hours. The dedicated Aadhaar Seva Kendra functioned from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM, seven days a week, including Sundays. This flexibility is reportedly not available at the alternative service points, further adding to the public's woes.
Administrative Delay and Public Demand for Quick Restart
According to a UIDAI official, the centre had been operational for six years, and the process of issuing a new tender for service providers will cause further delays. Citizens are angry that the district administration did not initiate the tender process in advance to prevent a service blackout.
Basavaraj Hiremath has voiced a strong demand to the authorities: "The district administration should immediately resolve the technical problem in the Aadhaar Seva Kendra and restart it immediately." The closure, which has lasted over a month, has caused great distress, stripping residents of a reliable and accessible service they had come to depend on for their crucial identity document needs.
