Notwithstanding the increase in the number of online slots for appointment to 3,000 at Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs) in the city, there seems to be no end to citizens’ woes. The RPO claims 3,000 online slots are allocated at 6 pm everyday. However, within minutes the slots are snapped up by agents allegedly in connivance with the RPO staff and outsourcing agencies, forcing genuine applicants to wait endlessly for their turn.
Though the passport authorities hoped that online slots and PSKs would reduce the waiting period and end the menace of agents, it seems to have proved counter-productive with the middlemen cornering the online slots and ‘offering’ them to those who are willing to pay a price.
The modus operandi of agents came to light when software professional Sandeep (name chaged), who waited in vain for an online slot for two weeks, got an appointment within two days with the help of an agent.
“My wife and I logged into the passport website and filled-in the application successfully, but we failed to get appointments. ” Sandeep told STOI.
Vexed with the never-ending wait, he went to the RPO to meet the passport officer. Again he ran up a hurdle having failed to get an appointment with the RPO. As Sandeep was leaving the passport office, an agent approached him and offered his help. “I explained my problem to the agent, who gave me an assurance that he would get an online appointment for Rs 800 per slot. He gave his mobile number and asked me to meet him after two days if I agreed to the deal,” he added.
Accordingly, Sandeep contacted the agent after two days and he came along with online appointment printouts. When approached the agent, he said, “I have tie-up with RPO staff to block online slots. They block some slots before making them available online every day. For each slot, I collect Rs 800. Do not bother about slots, they will be available as and when you (applicant) need it.” When this issue was taken to RPO K Srikar Reddy’s notice, he said: “We do not have a system to track or identify whether agents or genuine applicants are booking online slots.” Regarding the nexus between RPO staff and agents, he flatly denied it.
–_SOurce:TOI