Passport seeker, thy name is woe
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, June 27 2012:
Acquiring passport and its processing is becoming a headache for the people of Manipur if they want to visit some foreign countries since there is no District Passport Cell in the state till date.
According to sources, most of the North Eastern states including Nagaland and Mizoram have opened their District Passport Cells under their respective Home Departments.
But Manipur is still to have one, despite that fact that the number of Manipuri people going abroad for various purposes like taking part in some sporting competitions or cultural events and to study, not to forget about pleasure tours, may be higher than any other Northeastern States.
The District Passport Cell is necessary for verifying the documents submitted for applying passport.
An official of the Speed Post Passport Cell at Head Post Office, Imphal, which has stop working, said that the Speed Post Passport Cell used to issue application form for applying passport and send the filled form to the Regional Passport Office Guwahati along with documents only.
However, the cell has stopped functioning since March 31 this year.
Now, one can apply for passport online through internet.
However, they should go to the Regional Passport Office at Guwahati for further processing to get passport.
If the state government opens a District Passport Cell in the state, the inconveniences being facing by the people of the state, who are left at the mercy of middlemen or touts, would be reduced significantly.