The regional passport office has recalled 250 passports with wrong postal addresses, affecting both new issuances and those processed under the tatkal scheme disrupting overseas travel plans. They’re now hand-delivering them due to travel urgency of the applicants.
Applicants from places such as Amravati, Akola, and Buldhana are compelled to travel to Nagpur to collect their passports.
As per the local media report, on Monday, chaos erupted at the RPO located at the Central Government Office (CGO) complex in Seminary Hills, as frustrated applicants gathered and protested, demanding the expedited release of their travel documents. Some applicants reported difficulties in securing immediate appointments due to technical issues. “Regular appointments are unavailable until July 1. Currently, tatkal appointments are only available for May 20,” stated one overseas applicant.
Kshitij Gurav, the regional passport officer, mentioned that system upgrades are underway to enhance service quality. “Approximately 100 passports had incorrect addresses due to barcode issues. They were rectified and re-dispatched, with some being hand-delivered. Only 20% of passport applicants are encountering difficulties. Our 100 slots are fully booked due to the holiday season,” he stated. Official sources attributed the lapse to the trial of new software by private consultant TCS through their Delhi office. They added that the situation is unlikely to be resolved soon.