A Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK) was inaugurated by MP Rameshwar Teli at Graham Bazar post office on Wednesday in Dibrugarh.
The Passport Seva Kendra will deliver all passport related services to the citizens of the district.
The Dibrugarh Passport Kendra is the third of its kind in the state after Silchar and Mangaldoi which has been set up under the initiative of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Department of Posts (DOP).
Post Master General and Passport Officer of the Dibrugarh POPSK Akashdeep Chakraborty said it has the capacity of catering to 50 passport seekers on an average day. Fresh issue of passports and renewals will be carried out in the POPSK.
Earlier people of the district had to visit the Regional Passport office in Guwahati for their passport.
“It is a historic day for the people of Dibrugarh because a long cherished dream will be fulfilled now. Post Office Passport Seva Kendra will provide a single stop solution to all passport works. People will be able to apply for new passports or renew their existing ones. Initially Tatkal passport and Diplomatic passport will not be issued here. Now people of Dibrugarh need not travel to Guwahati. The processing will be done here and the application will be sent to Guwahati for approval of the regional passport officer. The police verification will be done later. An applicant will get his passport in less than three weeks time,” Chakraborty said.
MP Rameshwar Teli said that he had recently called on External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj for setting up a Visa centre at Guwahati for the convenience of people of NE. Swaraj had recently said that no Indian had to travel more than 50 km to get their passport.
Regional Passport officer Lobsang Tsering, Dibrugarh MLA Prasanta Phukan, Lahowal MLA Rituparna Baruah, Sonowal Kachari Autonoumous Council Chief Executive Member Dipuranjan Makrary and Dibrugarh Municipal Board chairperson Soma Chakraborty were present during the inaugural programme.