Surat Passport Office in Hot Water: 4500 Passport Applications Pending and Officers Stuck for 15-20 Years

Surat : The Regional Passport Office (RPO) Surat  has been in the news lately for all the wrong reasons. With a backlog of over 4500 passport applications as of 31st March 2023, the office has been struggling to keep up with the demand. However, what is perhaps even more alarming is the fact that some officers in the office have been stuck there for the past 15-20 years.

This has been revealed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act application made by an aware citizen on the functioning of the RPO Surat and the officers stuck at the same position for longer duration.

This raises several questions about the functioning of the administration in Surat. What is the reason for officers being stuck in the same office for such a long time? Is it due to a lack of opportunities for advancement, or is there some other compulsion that is preventing them from being transferred?

In the RTI reply, the CPIO of Surat passport office, VK Ravindranath has stated that the total number of passport applications received in 2022-23 were 2,09,115 and 1,99,467 passports were issued to the applicants with pending passport number at 4,850.

As per the present transfer policy guidelines, the minimum tenure for all the officials from the date of joining is 36 months, except for those posted at Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and North Eastern region where the tenure is 24 months. The Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India takes administrative decisions related to transfers as per the requirement workload pendency and shortage of staff at various RPOs.

The fact that officers are stuck in one office for so long is a cause for concern. While it is true that experience is valuable, it is also important for officers to gain exposure to different areas and departments. This helps them develop a broader perspective and a better understanding of the workings of the government. Moreover, it is also important for officers to be given opportunities to move up the career ladder, as this helps in career growth and also boosts morale.

The situation in the Surat Passport Office is a microcosm of a larger problem in the Indian bureaucracy. There are often complaints about bureaucratic red tape and inefficiency, and this is one such example. Officers who are stuck in the same office for years on end may become complacent and lose their motivation to work efficiently. This can have a ripple effect on the functioning of the entire office and can lead to a decline in the quality of service provided to citizens.

It is therefore important for the administration in Surat to take a closer look at the situation in the Passport Office and take corrective measures. Officers who have been stuck in one office for a long time should be given the opportunity to move to other offices or departments. This will not only help them in their career growth but also bring fresh perspectives to the office they move to.

Moreover, the administration should also look at ways to improve the functioning of the Passport Office. One way to do this is by introducing technology and automation to streamline the process. This will not only make the process faster and more efficient but will also reduce the workload on the officers.

An officer at Surat Passport office said, “We are processing nearly 1200 applications per day. The Ministry of External Affairs and  RPO Surat are continuously trying our best to minimise the pendency”

Here goes the list of the longest serving officers at Surat Passport office

1.Janaksinh R Parmar, assistant superintendent (DOA 11/08/2003 duration (20 years)

2.Bhavana B Vaghela, assistant superintendent (DoA 08/06/2004, duration (19 years)

3.Binay Shanker, senior passport assistant (DoA 03/11/2010, duration (13 years)

4. Lalit Kumar Tripathi, senior passport assistant (DoA 09/11/2011, duration (12 years)
5. Navneet Kumar, senior passport assistant (DoA 16/11/2011, duration (12 years)

(Note : there are a total of 19 officers at Surat Passport office who are serving at the same place from 7 years to 20 years)