Pune: Getting passport services may become easier for residents of Chakan and Hadapsar as the Regional Passport Office (RPO), Pune, has proposed opening Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) in these two areas.
The proposal has been forwarded to the Ministry of External Affairs under the joint initiative between the ministry and the Department of Posts. If approved, the new centres will help applicants avoid travelling to the existing Passport Seva Kendra at Baner-Pashan Link Road for appointments and other passport-related work.
Regional Passport Officer Vinod Gaikwad said the demand for passport services has increased significantly in Chakan and Hadapsar due to their growing population and industrial development.
“Both areas have a large number of applicants who currently have to travel to the main passport centre in Pune. The proposed POPSKs will bring services closer to citizens and make the process more convenient,” Gaikwad said.
The POPSK system was introduced through a collaboration between the Ministry of External Affairs and the Department of Posts, where selected post offices provide passport-related services. Officials believe that adding new centres will also help reduce the workload at the existing Pune Passport Seva Kendra and improve appointment availability.
The Baner-Pashan Link Road centre currently manages around 1,430 appointments every day. Gaikwad said that many applicants reach the centre without complete documents, creating delays in the process.
“Nearly 250 people come daily with incomplete paperwork. Their applications are registered, and they are given time to submit the missing documents instead of being sent back,” he said.
The RPO also highlighted the issue of applicants missing their scheduled appointments. According to officials, around 5 to 10 per cent of applicants do not appear after booking slots, which blocks opportunities for other citizens and affects the smooth functioning of the centre.
Gaikwad advised applicants to cancel or change their appointment dates if they cannot attend, allowing others to use the available slots.
Citizens needing passports on an urgent basis can opt for the Tatkal facility. They can also approach the RPO through email in emergency situations or look for available appointments at passport centres in other districts covered under the Pune RPO.
Deputy Passport Officer Shruti Pandey said the Passport Seva Programme 2.0 is also being implemented to improve services through upgraded digital systems and the introduction of biometric chip-based passports.
The Pune RPO issued around 2.17 lakh passports between January and May this year. Officials said about 2 per cent of passports could not be delivered mainly because applicants were unavailable or failed to complete the required documentation process.
