Gujarat: Passport applicants in pin code fix

AHMEDABAD: The residents of Koteshwar find themselves trapped in a bureaucratic nightmare due to a perplexing pin code predicament. Despite their area being officially merged with the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation, their addresses continue to sport the Ahmedabad pin code 380005, leading to a host of complications, particularly when it comes to securing passports.
Rajnish Sharma shared the exasperating ordeal of his son, Worship, whose eagerly anticipated passport appointment arrived in late May but hit a roadblock due to the discrepancy in the address and pin code. The authorities at the passport seva kendra (PSK) in Ahmedabad demanded that the Sharmas change the address to Ahmedabad on their Aadhaar card to match the pin code, leaving the family bewildered.
Venting his frustration, Sharma says, "How can we magically transform our district to Ahmedabad when Koteshwar is officially a part of Gandhinagar? Our Aadhaar card and voter card mention that our bungalow is in Koteshwar, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 380005!"
This issue is not limited to Koteshwar alone. Several areas, including Zundal, parts of Sola, Naroda, Nava Naroda, and Bopal, also face similar problems. "Applicants from areas like Narol and Ramol face another confusion. With multiple police stations and post offices in these areas, they are unsure which ones to mention in the applications," reveals an official from a passport seva kendra (PSK) in Ahmedabad.
Sharing his tale of woe, a corporate executive from Bopal says, "My Aadhaar card was issued when Bopal was part of Daskroi taluka and Ahmedabad district. Later, Ahmedabad city limits were extended to include Bopal. When I applied for a passport, I mentioned Ahmedabad as my city. The employee at the counter rejected my application, instructing me to file a new application mentioning Daskroi as the city. I was forced to go through the process again, resulting in a new appointment scheduled for July 12. How can I mention I live in Ahmedabad rural when it is officially a part of the corporation area?"
'Post offices need to update pin codes'
A senior PSK official said, "On average, in a day, the PSKs in Ahmedabad get two cases where applications are turned down due to discrepancies in the official records.
The applicants are forced to make changes in the application or file a new one in accordance with the documents they have. The post offices need to update the changes in areas and pin codes and then inform the passport authorities. However, this process is not maintained regularly, causing applicants to suffer."
Confirming they are aware of these issues, regional passport officer Wren Mishra says there are several areas with discrepancies in pin codes and confusion about the jurisdiction of police stations. "We have written to the police department, requesting a list of areas along with their pin codes. The system is being upgraded, and the changes will be incorporated later this year to streamline the application process and resolve these issues."