PASSPORT OFFICE
Harrowing experience

A harrowing day at the Passport Office

If you want to see a place worse than the fish market, you can see one at the Passport Office at Chennai. May be you feel you are highly educated and sensitive to listen from a watchman or a security man the documents you have to submit, don’t feel ashamed. See another one day celebrity. You are standing at the entrance of a room where an old woman official is sitting to find out mistakes at any cost in your application, without explaining you what actually is needed, don’t feel embarrassed It is after all India.

It was a harrowing experience right from the beginning. I had applied online for a passport and the system gave me the appointment at 10.30AM. Hoping that I will be welcomed by the pleasing officials to do the needful, I entered the Passport Office and within no time I thought that I had entered into a chaotic place. I was the last in the serpentine Q, of course after some time I had the satisfaction of seeing the continuing unending Q behind me.

This was not the final shock I had to feel. Except the person looking like a watch man or a private security man, there is no body else helping you what is needed. The Q becomes restless. If you feel that you have completely followed the instructions you have seen on the web site you are mistaken. They will tell you and inform you several things which are not available on the website or any other official notice board. Finally the lone lady leaves the room nonchalantly as it is lunch time for her leaving a lump in the throat of several persons anxiously waiting in the unending Q. All of them who were standing in the Q patiently without going for water, tea or food or not even for toilet lest they will loose their place in the Q had to wait for some more time. Finally madam arrives and I was ushered in. And she told to the shock of my life that I was a senior citizen as I am more than 55 years old and asked me to go upstairs. So I wasted all my time for the last 5 hours and went upstairs. The gentleman there tells me about some more requirements and finally asks me to come on some other day convenient to me. When I was moving hurriedly here and there several persons approached me to verify their documents whether they are correctly placed or not. It was a horrible experience all the way, leaving you think about the eternal Karma siddhanta of the Hindu philosophy. The final touch: A lady who had undergone the same expedience was heard commenting “I do not want to leave India (Mera Bharat Mahaan) by taking this type of passport”.

I feel that this is the most mismanaged place in the esteemed Ministry of External Affairs.

Company: PASSPORT OFFICE
Country: India

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