Rise in number of passport applications in Chandigarh

Amarjot Kaur
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, July 25

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Passport applications have started picking up at the regional passport office (RPO) in Chandigarh, rising from zero in April, when the Covid-19 lockdown was in full force, to 17,021 in June and 16,225 applications till July 23.

However, the situation is far from normal, as the figure for June is just 29 per cent of the number of applications submitted in the same month last year. In June 2019, the RPO received 58,068 applications. The RPO was not processing applications in April, but these could be submitted online, confirmed an official.

Regional Passport Officer Sibash Kabiraj said, “During the lockdown, all appointments were suspended. Though people could apply, appointments reopened in May-end.” The RPO is still functioning with 50 per cent staff. Earlier, during the lockdown period, passport applications had fallen drastically. The lockdown came into force on March 22 this year and it had impacted application submissions, as the RPO announced a suspension of appointments. In March, applications fell from 57,503 in 2019 to 33,938 this year. The figure was 59,149 in 2018.

The RPO did not receive any application in April this year, while the figure was 60,159 in the same month last year and 59,983 in 2018.

The RPO resumed operations on May 26. In May, 3,001 people applied for passports. The figure was 66,815 in May 2018 and 68,353 in 2019.

There had been a rise in applications after Seva Kendras resumed services, said an official.