Special passport drive at Ghaziabad RPO to clear summer vacation rush
The drive on June 7 and 14 will process up to 1,200 applications each day, with 500 slots allocated for urgent Tatkaal applications and 700 for normal processing.
The Ghaziabad RPO, which includes the Sahibabad PSK and 12 post office passport seva kendras (POPSKs), currently processes an average of 2,000 daily appointments (approximately 44,000 per month) over a five-day work week.
To further streamline services, the office will now operate on two Saturdays each month, accommodating an additional 2,400 applicants, 1,200 per Saturday, with 500 slots allocated for Tatkaal (urgent) applications and 700 for normal processing.
Anuj Swaroop, regional passport officer, Ghaziabad, told TOI that the number of applications increased from May 15 as many families are planning international travel during the summer holidays.
"Earlier, new applicants would get a date after seven to eight days, but now, appointments are being allotted within three to five days. This reflects the higher volume of applications," he said, adding that specific data on the number of applications is not available.
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He added that they usually handle about 300 Tatkaal applications in a day but 500 applications will be processed in the drive.
The Ghaziabad RPO, serves 13 districts across western Uttar Pradesh, including Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Agra, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, and Hapur. All districts under its jurisdiction, except Shamli, are equipped with POPSKs, making passport services more accessible to the public.
However, Swaroop clarified that the special Saturday drive will be conducted only at the Sahibabad PSK, not at any of the POPSKs.
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