Mangalore, February 1: Hajj pilgrimage from Karnataka has been made hassle free by the Regional Passport Office this year.
The RPO will start issuing 350 additional applications for passports, especially for Hajj pilgrims. New counters have been opened at the passport Seva Kendra (PSKs) and passport applications issuing offices Mangalore, Hubli and Gulbarga, besides an increase in the number of applications issued.
According to Dr K J Sreenivasa, Regional Passport Officer, Bangalore, it was decided to issue 350 applications dedicatedly for Hajj passengers, apart from regular passport applications which cross over 2,500 every day.
“Last year, despite their names figuring in the lottery, a number of Hajj aspirants could not make it since their passports did not reach them on time. To avoid such last minute glitches, we have taken some advance measures so that the applicants do not suffer,” he informed.
Of 350 applications, Lalbagh passport Seva Kendra will issue 150 applications followed by Marathhalli office with 100, Mangalore with 30 and Hubli with 20, he said.
The Gulbarga passport office which had a recent inaugural will soon start issuing applications to Hajj aspirants. “Passport offices in Mangalore and Gulbarga will help Hajj aspirants who need not travel to Bangalore for passport applications,” Dr Sreenivasa said.
Every year, close to 50,000 people from Karnataka undertake Hajj and a lottery is drawn by the Hajj committee so that there is no rush and the process is transparent.
Passport officials ask the Hajj committee members to clear the list of people who are selected for the Haj trip 2012.
Once the list is finalised, aspirants can apply for passports and receive the document before the flight leaves for the Hajj.
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