At Chennai Passport Office

Recently I was happy to read an interview with the Regional Passport Officer of Chennai, that the office went out of the way to accommodate and issue passport to an elderly couple, who were grieved and had to urgently travel. Like the young and energetic face of the young bureaucrat  the news also brought a whiff of fresh air to the whole process. On any other day, this interview would have been browsed away, but situation was so much of a contradiction to my experiences there and that is precisely why it caught my attention and the urge for me to share my thoughts. In fact, I wanted to pen down my thoughts and experiences at the Chennai Regional Passport office (RPO) some months back but has been postponing it and this article has rekindled my desire to share. 

In Aug 2011, I had to visit the office at Sasthri Bhavan for renewal of passport and as advised by friends, we were there in the queue by 7 AM, even though there were already more than 50 ahead of us. I wonder whether they would have come last night, as some were blear-eyed  and red shot and indicating lack of sleep! The serpentine queue was directed to stand in an open place and I was praying that the previous day's rain should not revisit.  

We were handed a token along with a terse instruction to come after two hours. When we were allowed in, we had to hurry to get hold of a seat as otherwise, one has to stand. There were three counters operating with the token numbers being displayed like in Banks. One counter was almost static, nobody knew why, but otherwise the line was moving. After a near two hours wait, we reached a place which lead to another series of counters where there was absolute pandemonium. There were no directions, no display boards and we did not know why we were standing, whether this will lead to another counter etc., Thoughts were running wild but not the line. It was  already past 1:30 PM and suddenly all the counters downed their shutters and we were told that the staff will reassemble after a 30 minutes lunch break, Everyone was aghast, sighing, cursing and doing everything to express their impotent rage as some of us had not even had our breakfast for the fear of missing the queue.

While waiting for the staff to satiate their appetite, I was perplexed to see a notice stuck  " System is running slow hence delay in billing. Inconvenience regretted" . The notice appeared to be a old one but the message seems to be applicable at all times !!

I was in for a greater shock when I observed another notice, which read " All Demand Drafts should bear Specimen signature number. Demand draft without SS no will not be accepted".  The growing hunger , the limbs coming apart after hours of standing, the foul smell of stench and filth- one could see pawn spat across all corners - were all capped by this ridiculous statement. A person can only make sure that he has made the payment and it is for the bank to ensure that all related formalities like specimen signature number and double signatures are taken care of. I wish someone challenge this statement and I would like to see the authorities giving a written communication rejecting acceptance of such Demand Drafts !

Now, there is no point in just complaining, I could hear people say, how to get over this ?

 RPO could provide some semblance of a cover to protect the public from rain or shine. I could see many senior citizens, pregnant women, mothers with infants in the queue and I was only wondering what will they do in case of rain !

RPO could more prominently display and educate the public on the various steps involved in the process, so that people are aware of their status even while they are waiting in the line.

Provide enough fans and if possible A/C atmosphere as the wait is for many hours. The place is so congested and nasty, it resembles the general ward of a Government Hospital with its accompanying filth and foul smell. One could see people squatting everywhere including the staircase, making it difficult for others to even move. One wonders what will happen should there be a fire here. It's time the authorities think of emergency measures too, at such a populated place.

If the service is for 7 hours (say), no one expects the staff to work continuously, but at the same time the public also cannot be made to wait unnecessarily. A better management would have thought of staggering the working hours and lunch hours of the staff, so that there is continuous service and the public is not put to any discomfort. They can take the cue from railways and banks where it is being done very successfully. Not sure whether people are not aware of this or nobody has applied their minds on this inconvenience. 

As for demand drafts, would suggest that the offending notice board is removed immediately, if not done already. Let the RPO note that it is the responsibility of the bank to honor such DDs and am sure no learned bank will return such instruments. In my opinion, the RPO has no right to insist on this. My  learned Banking and Legal friends agree and if required the RPO could check with RBI too.

Being an unashamed optimist, when I hear that the RPOs are being opened at various locations in Chennai, I hope that the above would have been taken care of. If so, let my noting remain for posterity and if not let the concerned act on such simple, resolvable discomforts to the public. After all it is for the public who seek RPO's assistance in complying with the travel requirements and RPO shall meet the requirements to the satisfaction of the general public. Unfortunately, there seem to be a confusion between the public and the public servant- it is time to sort this out!


Updated at 6:40 PM IST :


Singer Suchi has tweeted that she was at the passport office today and is "proud of the Passport services in my city". Hope these are also take care of !