For transfer cases to Blore RPO(read comments too). Review on Bangalore Passport Office

I have seen a lot of praise for the Bangalore RPO i.e. it's corruption free system and systematic approach to appln of new passports. But that's where the glamour ends. In reality, it is still an archaic bureaucracy with a lot of inefficiencies that are not talked about. You will realize this when you have a complication in your appln or if you have applied for a new passport or a renewal at your hometown and transferred your appln to Bangalore.

Let me summarize the various problems and issues that all people face daily at the Bangalore RPO. First of all, they have moved to a new place. While I admit that the parking facility is provided, it is just an unmaintained wasteland and they charge you RS 20/- for parking your car.

All counters are outside the building and people have to stand in the sun or rain. I have been inside the building towards the last stage of my passport ordeal and I have personally seen about 400-500 chairs(maybe more) all empty in the morning on the 1st floor. Another example of govt waste. Why keep people outside when you have space inside? People at the enquiry counter deserve some sympathy for the misery you are about to put them through. If they have some humanity, they should at least accommodate seniors in these seats.

There is just one enquiry counter. THIS IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM. Everyday, and I mean everyday, there is a crowd of 250-300 people who are called to this one specific counter. Old people and women have to stand for so long in the heat. Whoever is responsible for that place, I don't know who, but maybe the bloodless Regional Passport Officer can see the problem with his own eyes and do something about it. I guess he is waiting for someone to die before he takes action. That is the way things work in India. Only If someone dies, action is taken. And the action will be to open another counter.

The enquiry counter is open only from Monday to Friday from 9:30 to 12:30. They seem to be very concerned that the enquiry clerk is not overworked but don't care at all for people's time and the fact that they are so tired and miserable waiting in line for 2 plus hours. People just aren't important to them. If one had illusions about India being a great country and a marvellous democracy, one visit to this place will make you realize why we won't achieve anything in another 50 years.

The policeman choose to speak in Kannada. When you are minding a central govt office, it would do well to use policemen who can communicate in english or hindi as well. Nobody is here to be against our language. They just want to get our work done and move on with their lives. However, not all policeman are bad. In fact, some are very nice but some are very rude and keep herding people near the enquiry counter.

There is no seperate women's toilet. Isn't this sexual discrimination? I think they can be sued for this. Last time I visited, the single toilet was out of order. What are people supposed to use when you make them wait for 2 hours in your premises to get anything done? (I was actually grateful for the wasteland parking lot that I could use to relieve myself.)

Now let me talk a little bit about the Bangalore RPO website.

On their website, they state that you can send a mail to corrections@dataone.in if you notice an error in entry of your passport data into their system when you check your appln online. The reality is that they don't care. I have sent correction mails to them more than ten times at both corrections@dataone.in and poblr@dataone.in. They don't bother to respond or rectify their own mistakes. Phone support is just non-existent though they proudly display the numbers on the site and claim limited support.

Also, don't get carried away by the online status tracker. The status of your passport is only updated if there is no problem with your passport. Once there is a complication with your file, it is never updated (except at the final delivery stage). In fact, they don't even update the website with the nature of your problem so you don't come to know about it until you receive a letter from them. Oh, and by the way, a routine transfer case from your hometown RPO to the Bangalore RPO (which they do everyday) is classified by them as a complication and you are now at their mercy.

The Bangalore passport office goes the extra mile in making your life miserable. Officially, a transfer case is very simple and one can get taken in by the sweet words on the Bangalore RPO website claiming that is is a simple process. What they don't tell you is be prepared for a world of waiting and misery that they will put you through with their non-communication, inefficiency and apathy.

All that the govt asks is one address proof. The Bangalore RPO makes you go through hell just to accept this one proof be it a new case or a transfer case. I shudder to think what would happen if the govt asked for any additional supporting. Even if yours is not a transfer case and if you think you can get away by submitting a fresh or renewal appln at NetOne centres, I have personally seen two people visiting the enquiry counter after their documents were assessed at the NetOne centres as the RPO was not satisfied with them. Some NetOne staff are quite liberal when accepting applns and people get caught in the mess of approaching this enquiry counter when their appln is rejected because their appln form, address proof or some certificate is not good enough. Despite what the Bangalore RPO claims, I feel is better to submit your appln in person at the Bangalore RPO so that you can avoid the enquiry counter. You can use the online appointment system to avoid the queue for submitting your appln.

Back to the subject, the address proof that the Bangalore RPO needs should show that you have been in your current place of residence for one year. A BSNL telephone bill from last and year and this year would suffice. This simple bit of information is not put up on the website of the Bangalore RPO.It is either a conspiracy on the part of the RPO to keep them employed with the countless people approaching them everyday asking the same question  so that they can show that they are busy or another beautiful example of technology going waste on a bunch of bureaucrats who can't even post this simple but main requirement on their website.

I am writing this lengthy post especially for the people who have transferred their processing of passport from a passport office in their hometown to Bangalore passport office so that they are saved the misery of having to repeatedly approach the enquiry counter at the Bangalore RPO. I would request that you never transfer your case to the Bangalore RPO given the amount of time you will waste and the misery you will face but if you already have, this post is for you.

Let me outline the process for you. This might help prevent wasting 2 hours of your life only to go back.