No justice at passport adalat?

Even after approaching the adalat, applicants complained of being made to run from pillar to u00a0post, red-tapism and the lack of tech-savviness

Yesterday's passport adalat, intended to help those who haven't received the important document more than 30 days after their police verification, left many applicants disappointed.


The applicants at the 'passport adalat' organised
at the passport office at Worli, yesterday

One of them was Andheri resident Edsel D'lima, "I had applied for the renewal of my passport on June 2 and despite the police verification being done, the official website states that it is pending.

I have to head to Singapore in October for further studies and I need my passport urgently to start applying to colleges and for my visa."

Vivek Miranda, an IT consultant, said there was an urgent need for the passport offices to be more tech-savvy.
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"I had applied for passports for myself, my wife and my son six months ago and while they have received their passports, I haven't.

I have visited the passport office at least six times and it would be so much better if I could be informed about the status over e-mail instead," said he.

Khar resident Shashi Honawar, too, wore a disappointed expression when he left the passport adalat. He had applied for the renewal of his grandchildren's passports in January and says he has been made to run from pillar and post.

"This is the third time I'm coming to the passport office. All they do is make me run from pillar to post.
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Earlier, they had raised an objection that the last page of my daughter's passport did not carry her husband's name and is not valid.

This caused a hindrance in my grandchildren's passports and I applied for a new one for my daughter," said Honawar.

"Now, my grandchildren have shifted to Nashik for their schooling and the passport officials say they have to apply from there.

They have been staying in Mumbai all this while and, besides, how will the kids, who are still in school, apply for passports themselves?" he added.

Did you know?
Passport adalats are held on the last Friday of every month

The Other Side
Regional Passport Officer V K Choubey, however, said, "We try our best to help the applicants and this adalat is held for that very reason.
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A passport is not just a travel document but is also an important identity proof. To ensure that people are helped in the best way possible, I preside over the proceedings myself along with other senior officials."

D'lima's case was attended to later and he was assured that his passport would reach him within 15 days.