BeyondHeadlines Special Correspondent
PUNE: RTI Forum for Instant Information ( RFII ) will to launch a one day campaign to accept complaints of tatkal passport applicants onMarch 16th Saturday between 4 pm to 6 pm at Sambhaji Garden in Pune
Everyday RFII receives complaints from passport applicants particularly regarding tatkal passports The common complaint is inability to get online appointment.
As per the new rules of online payment established in 2013, the passport applicant is scheduled to get his online appointment automatically after he/ she makes online payment of fees or fills the challan in his bank.
Also, the applicant pays an additional fees of Rs.1500 to get his or her passport within 1 to 7 days as per the Ministry of External Affairs website. However, applicants are not getting their online appointment for several days and weeks.
Passport agents are illegally advertising issuance of Tatkal appointments by taking heavy charges. They ask applicants to give their login and password and they would give the online appointment within 24 hours. One of the sites is here: http://pune.quikr.com/TATKAAL-
RFII has launched a one day campaign on Saturday March 16th from 4pm to 6m to accept complaints of tatkal passports. It is free of cost and citizens are welcome to submit their complaints. Applicants will also be guided on how to use RTI for their passport problems.
Vinita Deshmukh , convenor of RFII , has earlier launched a sustained campaign in order to make Pune’s Passport office efficient after the Public Private Partnership that MEA has with Tata Consultancy Services.
Deshmukh said that the passport applicants were being taken for a ride in the online appointment and demanded highest levels of intervention to make the process smoother at the earliest.
