Date:30/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/30/stories/2008123054170500.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

More than three lakh passports issued

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: The Regional Passport Office here has issued more than 3 lakh passports, under various categories, for the third consecutive year.

Regional Passport Officer Sumathi Ravichandran said that during 2006, the office issued 3 lakh passports. The number went up to 3.05 lakh the next year. Till last week this year, 3.02 lakh passports had been issued.

To clear the pending applications, the authorities organised an ‘arrear clearance drive’ from October 15 to December 15, when the office issued nearly 80,000 passports. “Our staff had worked on Saturdays and other holidays,” Ms. Sumathi said.

The time taken for issue of passports had been reduced from 70 days to 30 days, she said.