Gyanveer Singh, a 2011 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, has taken charge as the Regional Passport Officer (RPO), Lucknow. A native of Macha village near Pukhrayan in Kanpur Dehat district, Singh secured second rank in the UP-Board Class 12 examinations in 2000 and has served in diplomatic missions in Cairo, Kathmandu, Vienna, and Doha. He is proficient in Hindi, English, Arabic, and Nepali languages. Before joining the civil services, he worked as a Senior Software Engineer at Samsung Electronics. In an interaction with Arvind Chauhan, Singh outlined his priorities and reforms for passport services in Uttar Pradesh.
First Stint as Regional Passport Officer: Priorities
Every day, nearly 250 applicants queue outside the RPO office, many traveling long distances from different parts of Uttar Pradesh. Singh’s priority is to reduce the need for such visits. Most passport-related issues can be resolved through clear guidance, which the office is now providing via email, WhatsApp, and other digital channels. The goal is to minimize applicants’ travel to the Lucknow office.
International Best Practices
Having served abroad, Singh notes that India’s passport system is highly efficient, transparent, and comparatively faster than many countries. For example, in Uttar Pradesh, tatkal applicants often get appointments the next day, while regular appointments are available within a week to 10 days. In several European countries, waiting periods can exceed two months.
Performance of Lucknow Passport Office in 2023
Between January 1 and May 31, the office received 3,91,577 passport applications and issued 3,86,223 passports. It also processed 19,958 Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) applications, issuing 19,358 certificates. Additionally, 26 surrender certificates were issued, reflecting a high disposal rate across services.
Improving Public Access and Grievance Redressal
Singh has strengthened grievance redressal through WhatsApp (9454004092), the Passport Seva grievance portal, X (formerly Twitter), and email. These channels have reduced response times and improved communication with applicants.
Passport Van Initiative
Monthly outreach camps are being organized in various locations, bringing passport services closer to citizens. Mobile units have processed hundreds of applications and traveled more than 2,300 km to improve service coverage.
Applicant Experience Enhancements
Additional customer service executives and dedicated counters have been deployed to facilitate same-day grievance resolution wherever possible. This has significantly improved the overall applicant experience.
Promoting Digital Governance
Applicants are being encouraged to link Aadhaar, PAN, educational certificates, and other documents with DigiLocker. Digitally verified documents help reduce delays and streamline verification processes.
Recent Reforms for Convenience
Applicants can now close pending passport files online through the Passport Seva Portal, eliminating the need for a physical visit. To further improve service delivery, staff have been working extended hours on Saturday evenings.
