I have applied for re-issue of passport. there is a very heavy rush at the Bangalore PSK’s these days, hence passports applications(new passports only) are being accepted at the RPO as well. If you are going to the Bangalore RPO, note the things they do differently:
fees have to be paid by DD. You wont be permitted inside unless you have the DDs.
you cannot get online appointment. You have to queue up at the RPO(the side of the building that gets the hottest of the sun and where they only have around 15 seats for people to wait.
You have to fill up a firm and need to paste your photo on the form.
An appointment for a day can also be used the following day in case you need to present any additional documents.
For the PSK, you can fill the form online and upload the soft copies of the documents. Appointment can be arranged 1 day prior to the date of the appointment(again online). Log on before 9 a.m to get the appointment. After 9 am the slots wont be available. Friday is supposed to be a dull day there and the service is likely to be faster.
If you reach there early, you will be made to wait outside the building, hence arrive right at time or 5 minutes past the due time.
First - Token counter.
Carry all originals with you. The token counter will verify the originals. Even if it is not required, they will still insist on ALL the documents. Carry 2 DOB proofs, 2 address proofs, 2 ID proofs. if passbook then you need to have current months’ transactions on it, else it wont be accepted. they have zero authority to deviate.
the wait here is long and there is a huge rush at this counter since, being Indians, we havent been taught to stand in queue and wait for our turn, hence all of us believe it is our god-given birthright to be served first regardless of the number of people around still waiting to be served and hence there are some fights to be witnessed also.
If you forget any document, you can return the same day(Before 3.30 p.m) to submit the documents, but if you need to return another day, you need to take another online appointment.
Note: Affidavit in Annexure F is important. 3 documents or Annexure I signed by Government official(letterhead and seal are must-have)
Once you have been issued a token, you will be permitted into the waiting area. there are 3 counters to be crossed. At the Lalbagh kendra, ensure you go to the far right end of the waiting area for the first round(A counters), nobody will guide you there; you will be waiting near the B /C counter entrance if you do so. there is a snack counter in the waiting area.
Collection of documents. A counter. There are lots of counters here. This part has been privatised and there was hardly any waiting here. the service is quick and efficient. picture taken, details noted and you get a chance to correct any discrepancies, finger printed, relevant documents collected, smiles all over.
Verification counter: B counter. This is where the wait starts(unending). There is space for around 12 passport officers to verify the originals. but at any point of time there wont be more than 5-6 present. then there will be lunch breaks and chai breaks, hence only 4-5 at any point of time. The work required is not too much, but even with 5 minutes per case if they are issuing 700 tokens per day, it will lead to delays. Service is quick, efficient and pleasant(once you actually reach the counter).
Granting counter: C counter. Again, another wait since it is manned by passport officers. same comment as above. space created for 15 PO’s but only about 4-5 will be present at any point of time.
Collect acknowledgement(another queue, but a short one considering the pace at which C counter moves), give feedback(which the guard stationed there will be watching closely) and out the back door.
Overall a good experience since the facility is air conditioned and you don’t need to search for a fan to sit under on a warm day(as in a typical govt office) and request for the fan to be switched on in the public waiting areas(experience at Bangalore RPO last year). But waiting times could be greatly reduced if only the government would deploy sufficient passport officers to close counters B & C much, much faster. toilets could be cleaner - there was no toilet paper and no health faucet, hence floors were wet. Seating area for B& C counters are insufficient due to the waiting period. The system is in place, needs to be fine-tuned to make it more efficient. A bit disappointing considering the fanfare with which it took off.