State passport office urged

IMPHAL, July 2: Trinamool MLA Dr I Ibohanbi today called upon the Home Minister to speed up matters for opening a Regional Passport Office at Imphal.

Gaikhangam replied that the matter will be taken up with the concerned Union minister.

Ibohanbi said that more than 50 percent of the individuals lined up at the passport office at Guwahati are Manipuris. They consist of students, sportpersons or cultural artists with the urgency of going abroad for specific purposes. Urging the home minister, he said that the passport cell which was attached to the Imphal Head Post Office is no longer functional, hence the applicants have to incur extra expenditure and time for pursuing the passports at Guwahati.

Gaikhangam while endorsing the motion said that new directives from the Home Ministry makes it mandatory for each applicant to make a physical appearance at the regional passport office. He acknowledged that the public is inconvenienced by having to make a trip to Assam for the said purpose.

He however assured that the concerned Union minister will be urged to open a Passport Sewa Kendra for convenience of the public.