The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has launched a Passport Seva Mobile Van Service in the Northeast under its ‘Passport Seva Aapke Dwar’ initiative. Aimed at remote areas, this mobile service will enhance accessibility, efficiency, and last-mile delivery of passport services across rural and hard-to-reach regions.
In a move to improve access to passport services in remote areas of India’s Northeast, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has launched a Passport Seva Mobile Van Service under its flagship outreach initiative, ‘Passport Seva Aapke Dwar’. The service was inaugurated on Saturday at Gauhati University in Assam by Dr. K.J. Srinivasa, Joint Secretary of the Passport Seva Project and Chief Passport Officer at MEA.
This initiative aims to bring essential government services closer to citizens living in far-flung rural and remote locations, especially in the northeastern states which often face challenges of connectivity and infrastructure.
A senior Nagaland government official stated that the newly introduced mobile van will act as a mobile Passport Seva Kendra, enabling people from remote areas to apply for passports without traveling long distances to major cities. The mobile van is fully equipped to handle the entire process of passport applications, including biometric capture, document verification, and submission.
According to officials, the van service is designed to ensure last-mile delivery of passport-related services and bridge the service gap for underserved populations. At present, six Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs) and 19 Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) operate in the Northeast under the jurisdiction of the Regional Passport Office (RPO) Guwahati. Tripura has its own dedicated PSK in Agartala.
Speaking at the launch, Dr. Srinivasa described the mobile van as a “one-stop shop” for all passport application-related procedures. “With the deployment of these mobile vans, we are striving to ensure that no Indian citizen is left behind when it comes to availing of essential passport services,” he said.
He further added that one mobile van has already been allocated to each of the 37 Regional Passport Offices across the country, and there are plans to increase the number in the near future. This strategic expansion is intended to enhance operational efficiency and make the services more citizen-friendly.
“This initiative is a testament to the Ministry of External Affairs’ commitment to improving accessibility, efficiency, and user-friendliness of passport services. We are dedicated to reaching every citizen, especially those in the most remote areas,” Srinivasa emphasized.
The launch ceremony witnessed the participation of several key stakeholders, including officials from TCS (Tata Consultancy Services), which is the technology partner for the Passport Seva Project, representatives of RPO Guwahati, and administrative staff of Gauhati University.
During his visit to Assam, Dr. Srinivasa also engaged with top state officials, including Assam Director General of Police (DGP) Harmeet Singh, Additional DGP Hiren Chandra Nath, and Chief Postmaster General (CPMG), Colonel Arvind Varma. These discussions focused on strengthening coordination between passport issuing authorities and state enforcement and postal departments to ensure seamless service delivery.
Additionally, the Chief Passport Officer took time to inspect the facilities at the RPO and PSK in Guwahati. He commended the staff for their continued dedication and urged them to uphold high standards of transparency, responsiveness, and professionalism.
The MEA’s Passport Seva Aapke Dwar initiative is part of a broader mission to digitally and physically expand citizen services through technological and logistical innovations. The mobile van initiative, in particular, is expected to benefit senior citizens, women, and people with disabilities who often face travel difficulties.
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The Northeast, with its challenging terrain and widespread rural settlements, stands to gain significantly from this initiative. By cutting down the need for extensive travel and long waiting times, the Passport Seva Mobile Van is poised to make the passport application process simpler, faster, and more inclusive.
With this development, the Ministry reiterates its resolve to bridge the digital and service divide, making passport services a truly pan-India citizen entitlement, regardless of geographic barriers.
