TCS's passport app to be extended to Indian missions aboard

"The passport system will be extended to Indian embassies and missions aboard and it would be done by end of this year," joint secretary (PSP) and chief passport officer Muktesh K Pardeshi told PTI.

TCS VP& head (government industry solution) Tanmoy Chakrabarty said the solution is now well established and hence, government had decided to extend this application developed by us beyond the existing 77 passport seva kendras.

"Along with Indian embassies and missions, the same application will run in the proposed 16 passport laghu kendras (small passport seva kendras)," he said.

Chakrabarty said the application will also help government in migrating to e-passport regime in future.

Pardeshi said government was considering the request for some more 50 passport seva kendras beside existing 77 kendras.

"We have sent the proposals to National Institute of Smart government to study the proposals and advise the government whether more passport seva kendras was required or not," he said.

Since, rollout of the new passport seva project in PPP from 2010 over 30 lakh passports had been issued pan India.

However, neither TCS or the passport officials failed to offer solution to various complaints on login and not getting online interview calls issues.

Asked about delays in police verification issues, Pardeshi said some states like Gujarat have implemented a deadline for police verification under Right to Service Act.

He said he had urged the DIG of police and state home secretary for improvement in this process.