SRINAGAR: The Government of India has ruled out any immediate proposal to establish a full-fledged passport office or Passport Seva Kendra in the Chenab Valley region of Jammu and Kashmir, stating that all Lok Sabha constituencies in the Union Territory are already covered under the existing passport service network.
Replying to an unstarred question raised by Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita said Regional Passport Offices (RPOs) are operational in Srinagar and Jammu, supported by Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs) and Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs), ensuring coverage across all constituencies.
The Minister informed the House that a total of 440 passport applications were pending across various districts under RPO Srinagar and RPO Jammu as of March 6, 2026. However, district-wise data was not specified in the reply.
On timelines, the Ministry said passport processing and issuance are completed within six to 21 days, excluding police verification. The verification process, which includes checks by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and other agencies, typically takes between 15 and 74 days in Jammu and Kashmir.
To address accessibility challenges in remote and hilly areas, the Ministry has been deploying Passport Mobile Vans under both RPO Srinagar and RPO Jammu for on-site processing. It also highlighted the ‘Apply Anywhere in India’ scheme, launched in June 2018, allowing applicants to submit passport requests at any PSK or POPSK across the country.
Detailing steps to reduce pendency, the government said it has increased the number of daily appointments and is conducting special drives on weekends to manage rising demand. Additional staff from the Ministry and other passport offices are being deployed where necessary, while walk-in appointments are being permitted to expedite pending cases.
The Ministry further stated that Passport Adalats are being organised under respective RPOs to resolve long-pending applications. Under the Passport Seva Programme (PSP) Version 2.0, all 37 RPOs, including those in Jammu and Srinagar, have been equipped with mobile van facilities, which have shown significant success in extending services to underserved areas.
According to the data shared, 553 passport applications have been processed under RPO Jammu and 1,193 under RPO Srinagar so far, reflecting ongoing efforts to streamline service delivery amid increasing demand in the Union Territory.
