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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 3646
ANSWERED ON- 13/03/2026
PASSPORT OFFICE IN SIRMAUR DISTRICT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH
†3646. SHRI SURESH KUMAR KASHYAP
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:-
(a) whether the general public especially of Nahan town under Sirmaur
district of Shimla Parliamentary constituency have to go Shimla at
present for passport related services, which is an extremely difficult,
time-consuming and expensive affair due to the difficult and hilly
geographical conditions, if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the need for a passport office or passport service centre in
Nahan town is being felt for a long time in view of the geographical
location, population and increasing demand for passport services in
Sirmaur district, if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government is considering setting up a passport office
or passport service centre in Nahan town of Sirmaur district; and
1(d) if so, the details thereof along with the likely timeline fixed for the
said purpose?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
(SHRI PABITRA MARGHERITA)
(a to d) In 2017, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in association with De-
partment of Posts (DoP) had announced opening of Passport Seva Kendras
at the Head Post Offices/Post Offices called Post Office Passport Seva
Kendra (POPSK) in each Lok Sabha Constituency (LSC) where there is no
Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or POPSK. Under this initiative, a PSK is
already functional at Shimla in the Shimla LSC and Nahan town falls under
Shimla LSC.
Moreover, in June 2018, Ministry had launched the ‘Apply anywhere in In-
dia’ scheme under which a passport can be applied at any PSK/POPSK in
India. Hence, passport applicants from the Nahan town can also apply in
PSK Dehradun, under Regional Passport Office, Dehradun, which is ap-
proximately 90 Kms. from Nahan. Also, MEA has been regularly deploy-
ing Mobile Passport Van under respective RPOs, including RPO, Shimla,
for on-site passport processing in rural/remote/hilly and under-served
areas.
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