Passport services affected by technical issue.

According to sources, a significant technical issue in the software has caused major delays in processing online passport applications at the Regional Passport Office in Bhubaneswar. This has left thousands of applicants feeling frustrated and helpless as they struggle to navigate the malfunctioning Passport Seva Portal. Despite reaching out to the Ministry of External Affairs and even tagging the Prime Minister's Office and Ministry of External Affairs on social media, the issue still remains unresolved.

A senior official, who prefers to remain anonymous, has revealed that the delay is due to a glitch in the updated version of the software, known as Passport Seva Programme 2.0. This new software was launched on a trial basis in Bhubaneswar and Nagpur with the aim of improving efficiency, but instead, it has caused more problems. "The main issue is with transferring data from the old software to the new one, which leads to frequent crashes," the official explained. This, in turn, hinders the process of passport renewal, new applications, and verification of previous applicant data. The authorities have brought in technical teams to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

As a result of this issue, the number of available appointment slots at the Bhubaneswar RPO has decreased substantially. For Raseswar Sahoo, a resident of Burla, this has caused a major inconvenience as he urgently needs a passport before the end of July for an upcoming seminar in Berlin. "When I contacted the toll-free number, my application was reinstated. However, when I tried to book an appointment slot on the portal, I was informed that no slots were available for the next three months," he shared. It is shocking and concerning that despite multiple applications being processed daily at other RPOs across the country, only Bhubaneswar seems to be experiencing this issue.

Another resident of Bhubaneswar, Manmath Tripathy, has been waiting for his application to be processed for four months due to a technical problem at the RPO. It is frustrating and unacceptable that such a crucial document is being delayed due to a software malfunction. The affected applicants are hoping for a quick resolution to this issue so that they can obtain their passports and go about their plans without any further delays.

DEBADURLLAV HARICHANDAN, OP

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