Obtaining a passport has become a daunting task for citizens, largely because of the strong presence of an unchecked agents’ network that mints money from false promises of effective facilitation. A number of distressed people protesting outside the passport office on Abbott Road said agents would take Rs 100 to Rs 1, 000 from simple people to provide help in getting the fees deposited in banks or even getting any ‘objections’ cleared.
They alleged that some of the officials working in the passport office associated with the large network of agents who extracted hundreds of rupees in bribes to expedite the process of obtaining a passport. They appealed to the authorities concerned to monitor the activities of these elements who exploited visitors. They also demanded basic amenities for visitors outside the office such as water and seating.