Now, get a passport from high-tech Seva Kendra

KOCHI: Getting passport won’t be a tiresome affair any more as the new high-tech passport Seva Kendra, a joint venture of the Passport Authority of India and Tata Consultancy Service will be operational from next month.  The seva kendra, which has started its trial run, will be based at Tripunithura.  The seva kendra in 8,500 sq ft air conditioned building will have a snacks bar, children’s entertainment area, ATM centres and special service for the physically challenged.    “Earlier a person had to stand in long queue for an entire day for making the registration. But at the new passport seva kendras, the registration can be done in an hour,” Regional Passport Officer B Sreekumar said.  A person applying for passport should access the website www.passportindia.gov.in. The person will be given time and date to reach the passport office to register and verify the certificates. The applicant will be given a token number.   According to the token number, each person will be called for the photograph and biometric details. The photograph and the biometric details will be taken by the TCS officials at A counter.  Later, it will be transferred to the passport officials at the B counter for verification. The details of the person and the status of the passport will be ensured at C counter under the passport officials. If the official finds any certificate suspicious, it will be sent to the Regional Passport  office for detailed verification.  One of the advantages with the system is that the whole process can be completed in one stretch. “The person arriving at a token counter will be taken to Counter A for taking his photograph and the biometric details. Then he can go to the B counter for the verification and to C for knowing the status of the passport,” said Karthik Subramanium, regional head, business operations, TCS.