V. Easwaran of the Makkal Marumalarchi Iyakkam appealed to the Ministry of External Affairs to build a permanent Passport Seva Kendra and provide basic infrastructure to passport seekers as was promised ten years ago.
In a petition to the Ministry of External Affairs and the Regional Passport Officer, Mr. Easwaran recalled the promise made ten years ago to him. Mr. Easwaran said that an average of 2,000 people from Coimbatore, the Nilgiris, Tiruppur, Erode, Salem and Namakkal frequent the Passport Seva Kendra in Coimbatore every day to apply for passports, and are made to wait in the open under the scorching sun or heavy downpour. When this was pointed out, the Regional Passport Officer responded with the promise of a permanent Passport Seva Kendra with a waiting shed for the public with all the required infrastructure.
A letter from the Chief Minister’s office to the Regional Passport Officer asking him to provide a waiting shed and basic infrastructure for the waiting public evoked a response and a temporary shed was provided. However, the shed is proving ineffective during heavy downpour and lacked basic infrastructure such as toilets.
Mr. Easwaran condemned the lethargic approach of the Ministry of External Affairs over the delay in construction of a permanent Passport Seva Kendra and also flayed the State Government for not voicing the concerns of the people.