Over 1.2 lakh e-passports issued since March, says Chennai Regional Passport Officer
Addressing mediapersons on Thursday, Mr. Vijayakumar said: 'E-passport is a chip-based passport and was rolled out across India recently. Chennai is the first city in south India where e-passport was rolled out in March. Till June 30, 1.20 lakh e-passports have been issued. The basic purpose of issuing e-passports is to reduce forgery and enhance security measures. It was initiated as a policy measure by the Ministry of External Affairs.'
The e-passport is a combined paper and electronic passport, with an embedded radio frequency identification (RFID) chip and antenna embedded as an inlay. The main benefit of the e-passport is its enhanced ability to maintain the integrity of its data. Since the e-passport has the data in printed form on the booklet, as well as encrypted in the chip, it makes it harder to forge.
The RPO said e-passport would facilitate the ease of travel for Indian citizens by enabling automated identity verification processes and making their interfacing with immigration authorities easier.
M-Passport initiative
Mr. Vijayakumar said the Passport Seva Mobile Van (also called M-Passport) would be rolled out in Krishnagiri district on July 7 and it would cater to the needs of those living in rural areas and were unable to travel long distances to apply for passports.
The mobile passport seva van will be boon in order to provide last-mile connectivity, especially to prospective applicants, he said the RPO, adding that the mobile service would be extended to other districts within the RPO Chennai jurisdiction. People can get appointments using the Passport seva website.
He said there were 13 Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POSK) within RPO, Chennai, and the process is on to open another in Perambur soon. 'We have a policy to set up POSK in each and every Parliamentary constituency,' said Mr. Vijayakumar.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Indian traveller calls New York ‘America's stinkiest city' after spotting smoke-spewing manholes. Video
An Indian travel vlogger has sparked a lively discussion on social media after sharing a video from the streets of New York, capturing foul-smelling smoke rising from manholes at a busy city intersection. The clip, posted by traveller Nitish Advitiy, was shared on Instagram with the caption: 'America's stinkiest city', and has since garnered nearly 50,000 views. A video by an Indian traveller showing smoke from NYC manholes went viral.(Instagram/nitishadvitiy) (Also read: NYC influencer's sneaky celebrity spotting in the Hamptons gets 7 million views) Smoke and movement at a busy crossing In the short video, filmed at what appears to be a typical pedestrian crossing in New York City, white smoke is seen billowing out of manholes in the middle of the road. Despite the smoke, pedestrians continue walking and cars keep moving — a familiar urban sight for many New Yorkers but quite unexpected for international visitors. An on-screen text overlay in the clip reads: 'America's stinkiest city – New York, USA', underlining the vlogger's impression of the city's sanitation and street conditions. Watch the clip here: Reactions pour in from viewers The video has prompted a range of reactions, from humour and sarcasm to commentary on perceived double standards. One user wrote, 'Kuch logo ko khushbu bahut acha lagega,' implying some might actually like the smell. Another remarked, 'Still they will blame India,' criticising what they see as an unfair media narrative about hygiene in developing nations. (Also read: An Indian 'hand model' in New York reveals the craziest thing she's had to do. Watch) Responding in disbelief, one viewer said, 'OMG I can't believe this is NYC,' while another added, 'This looks so yuck.' A user jokingly clarified, 'LA mein nahi hai bhai,' distancing themselves from the scene. Highlighting media bias, another commenter noted, 'This is what western media never shows,' pointing to the lack of coverage about such realities in major Western cities.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Planning first international solo trip? Redditors share travel and budget friendly tips to make the experience better
Travelling solo can be a bit daunting, especially when you are going on your first international trip. A Reddit user had the same experience when they were planning their first solo international trip. Therefore, to seek some budget-friendly advice from the internet, they asked Reddit to help out. If you are planning your first international trip, here are some tips to help you out. (Freepik) Also Read | German travel vlogger ranks Indian cities, praises Indore as 'one of the most liveable' In a post titled, 'Planning my first international solo trip – need all the advice I can get!', the user shared that they were planning their first-ever international solo trip and had zero clue where to begin, seeking tips on 'choosing the right destination (safe, budget-friendly, beginner-friendly), budgeting tips, itinerary planning, visas, booking flights/accommodation, or just general solo travel wisdom'. Let's find out what the internet had to say: 'Don't overstretch yourself with time or budget' Responding to the post, Reddit's travel community provided valuable insights. One Redditor listed general rules and information that a first-time traveller should know about. They suggested: Travel somewhere you can communicate easily. Don't overstretch yourself with time or budget: If you have a week, stick to a region or even just a large city. Plan out all the stops you might want to see in that area, and estimate the amount of daylight, time you'd want to be out exploring, time it'll take to see each + walk between, etc. In major tourism areas, there will be hostels. Lots of them, most likely. Find one that has good ratings and lockable storage for your peace of mind. Try to fit everything into a backpack. Pack lighter than you think you'll need to, plan to do a load of laundry on day 5 if you're staying 10. Carrying a wheeled luggage around on a city bus is a pain. Book your flights first, but have a good idea of what your itinerary costs and lodging costs will be before you commit. Your flight will need to be no less than 3 weeks before your trip for the cheapest flights. For every week on the road, give yourself a 'low-key' day. Time to upload/organise photos, catch up on that laundry, sleep in, etc. If you're travelling in Europe, I recommend the Omio app/website for travel options. Both city and city-to-city buses, flights, trains, car-shares, etc. 'Don't tell anyone you're alone' Another user suggested keeping a little bit of your money in several places, same with the debit/credit cards. 'Notify your bank before you leave to avoid issues,' they wrote. They added, 'Don't look at flights until you're ready to pay, and book on a Tuesday. Do a carry-on and bookbag, no checked bags. If you're hopping cities/countries, stick a couple of low-demand days throughout the trip to keep you from burning out. Share your location and itinerary with a couple of friends/family members during your trip.' 'Don't tell anyone you're alone, not even a sweet little old lady who doesn't speak your language. Don't get drunk. Watch some pickpocket videos so you're aware of how it's done and how to avoid being targeted/victimised,' someone cautioned.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Mussoorie plans mandatory pre-registration for tourists to manage peak season crowd
Dehradun: Authorities are planning to launch a pre-registration system for tourists visiting Mussoorie during peak travel seasons to tackle overcrowding and manage traffic after footfall doubled between 2022 and 2024. Tourists who fail to register may be denied entry at key checkpoints under the proposed system. More than 21 lakh visitors had reached the hill town in 2024, up from over 11 lakh in 2022, officials said. Secretary (tourism) Dhiraj Singh Garbyal told TOI the first step would be to estimate the number of tourists and vehicles arriving during peak periods — summer and winter holidays and long weekends — by installing cameras at three entry points: Kimadi, Kempty Fall and Kuthal gate. "The problem of overcrowding and long traffic jams is only during the peak season, so there's no point having a year-round pre-registration system. Our teams are working on introducing the concept during those times," he said. Long traffic jams of several hours have become a frequent problem during tourist weekends, especially from Gandhi Chowk to Mall Road. In June this year, a Delhi tourist died after being stuck in congestion and failing to reach hospital care. The proposed registration form would collect details like number of tourists, contact and vehicle numbers, tour duration and accommodation. Garbyal added that tourism department officials met stakeholders on Friday and discussed key aspects of the plan. "Through this exercise, we intend to study, assess the situation and then take effective steps like pre-registration or having one-way roads for entry and exit," he said. The online registration will be OTP-based. Indian tourists will get their OTP on their phones, while foreigners will receive it by email. Once completed, the registration will generate a QR code. Vehicles entering Mussoorie will be screened through Automated Number Plate Recognition systems, and tourists without a valid QR code may be turned away at the entry points. The tourism department also plans to install Automated Number Plate Recognition systems at the three identified entry points. The QR codes will be verified by staff before allowing entry. Officials have also halted construction on Mall Road after a court order, citing concerns that ongoing work may worsen traffic congestion. Sandeep Sahni, president of Mussoorie Hotel Association, and others present at the meeting, raised concerns over the recurring problem.
