Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Dec 30: Calling 2015 as watershed year, the Passport Officer Srinagar today said a record number of 70, 000 passports were issued this year in Kashmir valley.
Fida Iqbal, the Passport Officer, said that his office surpassed all its previous records by rendering a record number of seventy thousand (70000) passport services ( on an average 270 per day) besides around seventy three thousands (73000) applications were processed (on an average 290 per day).
“Around two lakh forty eight thousands (2,48000) Passport services have been rendered since 2012 (the year of commissioning of Passport Seva Kendra at Srinagar) There has been an increase of around 24% in issuance of Passport Service from 2014,” he said.
The officer said one of the remarkable features observed was a substantial decrease of around 62% in court cases against Passport Office. “This has mainly been due to the confidence which this office was able to instill among the general public and the review of cases by the concerned verifying Offices,” he said.
One of major challenges faced by this office was the long cycle of online appointments which even had gone up to 40 days particularly post floods, Iqbal said.
“The office was able to bring it down substantially within seven days period due to tireless efforts of the office. In addition to this, office was able to clear the pendency that had got accumulated due to non-functioning of office during floods. All those passport holders who applied in lieu of damage/lost passport in floods were issued with duplicate Passports free of cost during the notified period,” he informed.
The Passport officer said that the Passport Office Srinagar was also successful in ensuring hassle-free crossing of Cross LoC passengers at Kaman and Teetwal. “Extensions in stay were also granted to the desired eligible permit holders,” he said.
Besides, he said, the record numbers of around twenty eight thousand (28,000) Haj (2015) aspirants from Kashmir Zone had submitted their passports before the State Haj Committee which is testimony to the performance of this office in facilitating maximum possible number of passports applicants.
He said to reduce the time in police verification they have already offered online personal particulars form downloading to the police authorities.
Cautioning people, he said the office has had been making all efforts to safeguard the applicants from the exploitation by touts and undesirable elements.
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