The Hindu : Front Page : Verification for passport on fast track

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Saturday, Jun 04, 2011
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Verification for passport on fast track

Staff Correspondent

This eliminates physical transfer of applications from one office to another

— PHOTO: R. ESWARRAJ

E-governance:The terminal at the Police Commissioner's office in Mangalore that has been connected to the Passport Office.

MANGALORE: Physical transfer of passport applications to the police has been eliminated with the setting up of a direct online link with the passport office here, reducing the time taken for processing applications.

Commissioner of Police Seemant Kumar Singh told The Hindu on Friday that the computer terminal had been set up that very day.

This would eliminate the process of physically transferring the applications from the passport office to the police stations concerned for verification and back.

Applications would be sent to the commissioner's office from where it would be directed to the station concerned. After verification, the digital signature of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) would clear the application on behalf of the Police Commissioner, Mr. Singh said. Applications would be returned to the passport office online.

Mr. Singh said that as it was a new unit, the passport office in Bangalore had to assign a new digital signature for the office here.

Because of the delay in setting up the computer terminal, 1,000 applications were pending with the Police Commissioner for verification.

However, Mr. Singh could not say by how much time clearance could be speeded up.

He said it would depend on the police station concerned. Police stations such as Mulky and Konaje outside the city received very few applications, whereas Mangalore North police station receives 50 on single a day.

Ten officers will operate the terminal in rotation under the charge of the DCP Law and Order. The post is vacant at present.

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