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Chandigarh passport office staff go on strike against working Saturdays, applicants suffer
Applicants, who had come from distant places to the Chandigarh passport office with hard-won appointments, had to consequently return empty handed
The Passport Office situated in Chandigarh’s Industrial Area, Phase 2, became a hotspot of frustration and disappointment on Saturday, as office personnel went on an unexpected strike against the order to work on Saturdays.
Applicants, who had come from distant places with hard-won appointments, had to consequently return empty handed. The abrupt strike by the office staff caught everyone off guard, subjecting applicants to distressing ordeal during their visit.
Following the ruckus, police arrived on-site in an attempt to restore order. Subsequently, applicants were directed to provide their appointment slips along with their mobile numbers. They were given assurances that they will receive a text message indicating their next appointment date.
Kishan Lal, an applicant from Mohali, Phase 11, said, “I have not received any text message so far. With no other option, I will have to look for a fresh appointment. There is already long waiting for appointment. The staff should have informed applicants prior to the strike.”
Satinder Singh, another applicant, said, “The last-minute strike left hundreds of applicants stranded in scorching heat. The office could have informed the applicants a day before the strike.”
According to sources, the Passport Office had directed the staff to work on Saturdays to tackle the backlog of waiting lists and applications. However, miffed with the order to work six days a week, the staff went on strike.
Despite repeated attempts, no response was received from Priyanka Mehtani, the Regional Passport Officer (RPO) for Chandigarh.
Punit Garg, an applicant from Bathinda said, “I have applied for police clearance certificate at Passport Sewa Kendra, Bathinda, but four months have passed and PCC is still showing the status as ‘under review at Regional Passport Office, Chandigarh’.”
He alleged, “There is no response from the RPO. They are not picking up calls, not even replying to emails, which is quite harrowing.”
Similarly, the Passport Office has not responded to Harjinder Singh, another applicant. He applied for renewal of passport at RPO Chandigarh, a month ago. Police verification has been done, but status was still showing under review at RPO Chandigarh, he said.
