Passport office numbers: All lines on this route are busy

Mohit Khanna

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 14

Two days after the newly joined Regional Passport Officer (RPO) Sibash Kabiraj made his number public, it has come to light that four landline helpline numbers of the passport office here were deliberately kept incommunicado.

The fact came to light when a majority of the callers complained that all telephone numbers of the Regional Passport Office, Chandigarh, reflected on its website, remain on busy mode.

The RPO then conducted a surprise check and reportedly found that four cables meant for different landlines connections attached to one telephone set.

Despite ordering three new sets of telephones, the RPO has also formed a grievance redressal cell so that people do not have to visit the Regional Passport Office to check the status of their passport.

The grievance redressal cell will handle the telephonic complaints. Besides, it will also deal with the complaints received on Facebook, twitter and WhatsApp.

“Three women employees and one male have been deputed to handle the grievance cell. It will deal with all complaints of passport applicants and table the status report of complaints every evening. We have to be proactive in order to bring down the pendency,” said RPO Sibash Kabiraj.

People, who were visiting the passport office, also complained about non-functional telephones.

“There is no provision for enquiring about the status of passports. The phone numbers given on the website remain continuously engaged. I had to visit all the way from Ganga Nagar just to check the status of my passport file. Fortunately, the new RPO has seen the mischievous act of deliberately engaging all landline phones and took corrective action,” said a youngster from Ganga Nagar.

Another youth from Fatehgarh Sahib said he works in a private sector.

“My employers deduct the entire day’s salary when I visit the Regional Passport Office in Chandigarh. If these telephones began working, then I could enquire the status of my file while sitting in Fatehgarh Sahib,” said a youngster, who had submitted the passport for the correction of name.

A former boxer from Ludhiana broke into tears. Requesting anonymity, he said he had submitted the passport for the correction of his date of birth.

“For over a year, I have been visiting the passport office once every week to check the status of my passport. I am made to shuttle from one office to another. At the end of the day, I am told to come again. I have completed all formalities, but my file has not been cleared yet,” said another youngster from Ludhiana.

Grievance redressal cell formed 

Despite ordering three new sets of telephones, Regional Passport Officer Sibash Kabiraj has also formed a grievance redressal cell so that people do not have to visit the Regional Passport Office to check the status of their passport. The grievance redressal cell will handle the telephonic complaints. Besides, it will also deal with the complaints received on Facebook, twitter and WhatsApp.