In a significant development for passport seekers in southern Odisha, the number of daily passport verification appointment slots at the Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK) located at the head post office in Berhampur is set to increase from 50 to 100. This proposal was put forward by Postmaster General of Berhampur Circle, Vindo Kumar, in response to the growing number of applications at the centre.
Review Meeting Outcome
During a joint review meeting held on Tuesday, Regional Passport Officer in Bhubaneswar, Prem Singh, reportedly agreed to the suggestion. Kumar assured that infrastructural facilities would be provided to applicants coming from far-off places, sources confirmed.
Need for Increased Slots
The increase in passport verification slots at POPSK was deemed necessary as applicants currently wait for about 10 to 15 days to secure a slot. The centre serves not only residents of Ganjam district but also those from neighbouring districts such as Gajapati, Khurda, and Puri in Odisha, as well as Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh.
Current Operations
“Presently, we have verified 40 passport applications and 10 police clearance certificates at the POPSK. Every day, almost all applicants come to the centre as per their slots for verification,” said an officer of the centre.
Demand for Upgradation
Berhampur MP Pradeep Kumar Panigrahy has urged the Union Ministry of External Affairs to upgrade the POPSK into a full-fledged Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) with Tatkal facilities. Currently, Tatkal facilities are only available at the regional office in Bhubaneswar.
“The applicants in southern districts of the state depend on the regional office. The load on the regional office will be decreased, and applicants will get quicker services if such facilities are available at Berhampur POPSK,” he said. He also demanded a Passport Seva Kendra at Paralakhemundi in Gajapati district.
