RPO Bhopal Trains Postal Staff to Strengthen Passport Service Delivery

The Regional Passport Office Bhopal has conducted a training programme for postal staff to enhance the efficiency and transparency of passport services across Madhya Pradesh. The session, held on Saturday, focused on improving coordination between passport authorities and postal networks operating Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs).

Addressing the participants, Regional Passport Officer Shitanshu Chaurasiya highlighted the growing role of POPSKs in streamlining passport services. He noted that 25 POPSKs are currently operational under the Bhopal jurisdiction, with seven new centres added over the past two years—the highest expansion recorded by any passport office in the country. In 2025 alone, more than three lakh passport applications were received, with nearly 45 percent processed through these postal centres, underlining their importance in service delivery.

The programme was attended by Vineet Mathur, Chief Postmaster General of the Madhya Pradesh Circle, who commended postal staff for their contribution in bringing passport services closer to citizens. He stressed the need for regular inspections and monitoring of POPSKs to maintain service quality and efficiency.

During the training, officials were briefed on updated procedures, digital systems, and timelines for processing passport applications. The session also addressed practical challenges faced by postal staff and aimed to standardise service delivery across centres.

As part of the event, awards were presented to high-performing centres for 2025. POPSKs in Jabalpur, Dewas, and Chhindwara were recognised for their performance, while POPSK Shahdol received the Best Customer Service Award.

The training programme follows a recent accessibility initiative launched by the Passport Seva Programme to make passport services more inclusive. The initiative includes providing passport-related information in Braille for visually impaired applicants and introducing sign language videos for those with hearing and speech impairments.

The accessibility measures were inaugurated by B S Mubarak, Joint Secretary and Chief Passport Officer, earlier this month in Bhopal.

Officials said such initiatives are part of ongoing efforts to modernise passport services, improve user experience, and ensure that government services are accessible, efficient, and citizen-friendly.