my uttarakhand news Bureau
KOTDWAR, 11 Apr: A Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK) was inaugurated in Kotdwar, Garhwal Lok Sabha Constituency, on Saturday marking a significant step towards enhancing accessibility of passport services in remote and hill regions of Uttarakhand. The centre was formally opened by Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Textiles Pabitra Margherita, in the presence of Garhwal MP Anil Baluni. Assembly speaker and local MLA Ritu Khanduri Bhushan was also present on this occasion.
Addressing the gathering, Pabitra Margherita said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of External Affairs is committed to providing faster, reliable and transparent passport services. He emphasised that the expansion of POPSKs in remote and hilly areas reflects the vision of delivering services at citizens’ doorsteps. He highlighted that Passport Seva Programme Version 2.0 has already been implemented nationwide, with more than 450 POPSKs and 93 Passport Seva Kendras operational across the country.
Anil Baluni expressed gratitude for the establishment of the centre, noting that citizens of Kotdwar and nearby regions will now be able to avail passport services within their own district, saving time and resources. He also appreciated the Ministry’s continued support to Indian citizens abroad, particularly during crises.
The initiative was widely welcomed as a milestone in strengthening regional development and improving citizen-centric services. As a symbolic gesture, passports were handed over to selected applicants at the newly inaugurated centre. With the operationalisation of the Kotdwar POPSK, residents will no longer need to travel to distant cities for passport-related services. The centre is expected to significantly improve accessibility, convenience and efficiency, marking an important advancement in public service delivery in Uttarakhand.
Among those present included Assembly speaker and MLA Kotdwar Ritu Khanduri Bhushan, MLA Lansdowne Dilip Singh Rawat, MLA Pauri Raj Kumar Pori, MLA Pauri, and Shailendra Singh Rawat, Mayor of Kotdwar. Senior officials including S Koventhan, Joint Secretary (Passport Seva Programme-II), Anuj Swarup, Regional Passport Officer Dehradun, and Anusuya Prasad Chamola, Director Postal Services Uttarakhand Postal Circle, were also present along with a large number of public representatives and citizens.
About The Author
