Mangaluru: District Congress Labour Cell president Lawrence D’Souza Wednesday demanded that the Union govt establish Karnataka’s second regional passport office (RPO) in Mangaluru, citing the heavy workload at the existing Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) and the large area it serves.Speaking to reporters, D’Souza said Karnataka currently has only one RPO and five PSKs, while Kerala has three RPOs and Tamil Nadu four. He said the Mangaluru PSK caters not only to applicants from Dakshina Kannada but also from Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu and Hassan.Citing 2020-25 data, D’Souza said about 10,01,273 applications were received in Karnataka and nearly 9,85,831 were processed. He said establishing an RPO in Mangaluru would help ease the workload on the state’s lone regional office in Bengaluru.D’Souza claimed that around 600 applications are handled at the Mangaluru PSK on average day between around 9am and 5.30pm, which is roughly 75 applications an hour.He also alleged that several tables in the three sections of the centre remain without officials. He claimed applicants are not always called according to their token numbers, with groups of numbers being called together, adding to the confusion.Highlighting concerns over document verification, D’Souza said applicants are sometimes asked to obtain additional photocopies only after reaching internal counters despite having waited for hours. He alleged that the photocopy facility charges Rs 10 per page but does not accept digital payments.D’Souza said that during peak periods, around 250 applicants are inside the centre, while seating is available for only about 60 people, forcing many, including elderly persons and children, to stand. He also alleged that the centre lacks a proper drinking water facility and that an additional waiting room with a seating capacity of 25-30 has no ventilation. He further alleged that applicants must climb steep iron steps to reach it.D’Souza said many applicants do not get parking space and should be informed in advance about parking arrangements. He also demanded additional PSKs for districts currently dependent on Mangaluru.He urged the Union ministry of external affairs to constitute a study committee to examine the feasibility of establishing an RPO in Mangaluru. He also urged MPs from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Chikkamagaluru and Kodagu to jointly take up the issue with the Centre and press for additional PSKs in their respective districts.
