21 March was the D-day when I made my first attempt at the paaport ofice to apply for a reissue of my passport under TATKAL scheme. I feel the TATKAL scheme introduced by the GOVT for all transactions like the passport or train ticket booking etc ... is a way of psyphoning money from the General Public...in a way it is useful but these days people do not want to wait even if they have time, they just go about throwing money and get things done.
Let me get back to the story. I was carrying the following documents:-
1.copies of company id card, driving licence, pan card
(remember to carry the originals)2.copy of my passport+passport original3.passport application form duly filled (available in the passport site)
4.Personal details (PP) form duly filled (available in the passport site)
5.Annexure I - notarized (format available in the passport site)
6.5 copies of recently taken 3.5 inches photograghs (not required at all but still carry can't stay)
7.Marksheets +certificates
8.most important - bank letter as address proof along with a recent statement
Equipped with the above items we (Rajesh a colleague of mine having the same issue joined me) reached the passport office in MG road at 7.30 AM. Outside the gate there are a lot of husslers (passport agents) - do not fall prey to them, they have no say over the proceedings. Here there were 2 queues - One small and other a bit long which stretched upto the gate. The sentry there did tell us that for passport application submissions (even TATKAL) we needed to stand in the long queue, but we listened to some other glib talking techie and beelined to the short one. At around 9.30 the Babus started arriving in their 2 wheelers with an air of snottiness. By this time the longer queue had streted to about another 200 meters outside the gate. At 9.45 people were being admitted inside (at last a meet with destiny). When we were about to enter the building a Babu checking the papers says - passport submission other line... MAN! you should have seen the expressions on our faces. We ttied tried to plead our way in but no use. Then what to do? We got into the long queue hoping that our turns come before 12 (12 is the closing time). After a long wait we entered the passport office at 11.30 (4 hours of standing).
On entering the office we found that many were turned away as here they were accepting TATKAL applications only and appplicants not avaailing the TATKAL scheme were asked to apply via Bangalore One centers. On entering a token sticker is stuck on to your application form. If you have filled 2- 3 applications - note only one is entertained. Guidelines to fill the form is present atg the site - go through them carefully.
Then we were instru8cted to go to the first floor where the forms were being accepted. There is preliminary check done before you actually make the submission. This is queue will be prominent as you enter the office. The guy at this desk nalso arranges the papers and gives you a police verification form that you need to attach tht PP form and submit this as a pair and not attach it to the passport application.
Somewhere at around 1.30 my token number was called out. I reached the counter and submitted the application with the required documents. After scrutinising them the officer say I cannot accept this under TATKAL do you want to submit under normal scheme. I am like flabbeghasted ...What ..WHY..words are not coming out of my mouth.... after a while I ask meeklly ...Why Sir! what's wrong!! He shows my driving license and asks me whats the name wriiten there.... Venkatakrishnan ...whats wrong in that.....Read again ... Sir it doesn't matter how many time I read it will always be the same.... Then he says with a air of pride .... there is no RAMASWAMY......I am like What the .....!!! But its another GOVT official like you who has written it..... He goes like ...Look here I have no strngth to speak ...do u want to submit it under normal scheme... YS OR NO... I am like SIR Please understand I need this very urgently ...YES OR NO. Dejected I take back all the forms nad passport. I go to a corner of the room and start thinking....neanwhile Rajesh's application is accepted and he has been asked to submit a written application. He is frantically searching for a white paper. I then call up my mom and tell her what's happened and ask if some other ID proofs are available with us which can be dispatched immediately from BBY but even if they are its useless as no one's currently stayin in our bby home...
Around an hour has passed by...I decide that I will submit the form under the Normal process and convert to tatkal later if I get the documents. I go back to counter and meekly submit my form and again make an attempt to ask - If I get Annexure F will you accept..... The guy shoots back sorry please clear the area and go to enquiry. He returns my passport back but what the ....!!! There is CANCELLED STAMP on it - this gives me goosebumps and and my stomach starts to twist and turn. I again frantically go back to the counter and this guy is not there. Bloody Hell!! The enquiry counter is outside the building and has a separate queue and also it is open only till 12.00. I am really dejected and shocked and feel that these people donot even have a little empathy ... all because of the MONOPOLY !! They know we can't go elsewhere!! there is no option at all!!
In the meanwhile Rajesh ahs completed all the formalities and and then we go to Bangalore Central, grab a quick lunch and are on our way back home. After reaching home dejected, depressed and tired I went off to sleep. I woke up at 7 PM. Called my Mom and spoke to her for some time and then suddenly it struck that I have a DORMANT SBI account passbook - probably this can be accepted as an ID proof. I start to search all through my luggage and stacked boxes and at last find it, tucked safe in a file. So I decided I will have a final go at the passport offfice.
So this time armed with the written application form, copies of the id proofs (PAN, SBI passbook, ID card, Driving License along with originals) , pasport application receipt, urgency proof letter and Annexure I, I am back at the passport office on 22nd morning 7.30 AM. This time I am standing correctly in the small queue as it is exclusively for TATKAL conversion and also do a little samaritan work of redirecting people to the other queue who have come to apply under TATKAL. 9.30 again the Babus have arrived and at 9.45 we are let in ... Man EXAM ke liye bhi kabhi itna tension nahin liya ... This time we are directed to a room on the ground floor where there is a lady who is doing all the checking and luckily she is a Tamizh - Thank God for that. My turn comes at 10.30... I am at her desk Nervous and sweating like hell .... She removes the pin check the id proofs submitted ... then the passbook copy she asks for the original and says I cannot accept this ... no transaction made for the last 2 years... I try to reason but to no vail... so as a final attempt I show her copy of my driving licence and ask if this is OK. She looks at the and says the name is not full... I am standing there dumbfounde not understanding what to say or do...then she asks me for the original. I remove my purse to pull it out and LO!! its gone !! Now I start sweating really hard ... and then she turns to the next guy in queue. I then went to safe place and starteed to search for my drivinng license and find it in one of my bag's pouches. Then I arranged my paper neatly in the folder and went to her place and said if I open a bank acct today and get u the passbook tomorrow, will that be acceptable? She says no and then I say what abt annexure F (which I surely can't get as you need to know some bada babu in a GOVT office). She then says show me your driving licence original, I will accept your application....THANK GOD at last some ray of hope. I get it out and show it to her, she asks me to get copies of the whole license book plus copy of the annexure and also of the other side of the pan. I rush out immediately get the copies done and then go directly and submit it to her and she stamped all the copies as verified and instructed to meet the Assistant Passport Office(APO).
APO checks the approval stamps and then says we will dispatch the passport on 28th. Man I am relieved. I go to the TATKAL counter and pay the fees and make my way out asap.
Now I keep checking the website daily for updates the status is the same "Passport dispatch date is 28 March" I am keeping my fingers crossed and hope that I do not have to write another blog :)
In the end I feel that the application acceptance depends on the mood of the person at the counter because the next day I had submitted the TATKAL application with the same documents...
Two weeks back I got a call from my uncle saying that they were coming to Bangalore (whichI knew) to visit a place Mallur to visit some Krishnar temple (this was news). They wanted me also to join but then I didn't commit but did end up going with them. Had taken some pics of the temple - posting it here. We were able to witness the Abhishgham which was really divine. If you ever get an oppurtunity don't ever miss it, believe me its really worth it. Yea!! Couldn't capture any pictures of the Abhishegham as photography is not allowed there. Go on a Sunday or a Public Holiday - chances of witnessing an Abhishegham is more and that of small kids crawling around - its an apt scene to see in the temple - makes the palce more divine.
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