**Executive Summary**
Dr. Vinod Gaikwad, Regional Passport Officer, Pune, visited the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK), Solapur, and the Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK), Pandharpur on February 23-24, 2026, to review their operations and assess the quality of passport services. The visit involved inspection of operational aspects, interaction with staff and applicants, and a meeting with the Commissioner of Police, Solapur.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Review of Passport Service Centers:**
* Dr. Gaikwad visited PSK Solapur and POPSK Pandharpur to review functioning and service quality.
* Operational aspects reviewed included appointment management, document verification, applicant facilitation, and overall infrastructure.
* Interaction with staff to ensure timely, efficient, and transparent passport services.
* Interaction with applicants to obtain feedback on application process and facilities.
* **Emphasis on Service Standards:**
* Emphasis on maintaining the highest standards of efficiency, professionalism, and a citizen-friendly approach.
* Encouragement for the team to continue providing seamless and hassle-free services.
* **Impact of PSK/POPSK Centers:**
* Centers have significantly reduced the need for citizens from smaller towns and rural areas to travel to Pune.
* Passport services made more accessible, saving time and resources for applicants.
* Expanded outreach of the Regional Passport Office.
* **Police Verification and Security:**
* Meeting with the Commissioner of Police, Solapur, focused on streamlining the Police Verification Report (PVR) process.
* Discussions included issues relating to the safety and security of PSK premises.
* Need for sustained and coordinated action against unauthorized agents/touts.
* **Commitment to Improvement:**
* Reaffirmation of commitment to ensuring a secure, transparent, and efficient verification process.
* Continued commitment to providing prompt, accessible, and citizen-centric passport services.
* Continuous strengthening of infrastructure and service delivery mechanisms.
**Impact Analysis**
**Passport Applicants**
* **Impact:**
* Improved access to passport services in smaller towns and rural areas, reducing the need to travel to Pune.
* More efficient and transparent passport application and verification processes.
* Enhanced security and safety at PSK premises.
* **Action Required:**
* Utilize the services at local PSK and POPSK centers to save time and resources.
* Cooperate with the Police Verification Report (PVR) process.
**PSK/POPSK Staff**
* **Impact:**
* Reinforcement of the importance of maintaining high standards of efficiency and professionalism.
* Emphasis on a citizen-friendly approach.
* **Action Required:**
* Continue providing seamless and hassle-free services to passport applicants.
* Maintain efficiency and professionalism in all operational aspects.
**Regional Passport Office, Pune**
* **Impact:**
* Reaffirmed commitment to providing prompt, accessible, and citizen-centric passport services across the region.
* **Action Required:**
* Continuously strengthen infrastructure and service delivery mechanisms.
* Ensure efficient coordination with local authorities and law enforcement agencies.
**Police Authorities (Solapur Commissioner of Police)**
* **Impact:**
* Collaboration to streamline the Police Verification Report (PVR) process for faster passport issuance.
* **Action Required:**
* Streamline the PVR process in coordination with the Regional Passport Office.
* Ensure the safety and security of PSK premises.
* Take action against unauthorized agents/touts.
Key Entities Referenced
Passport Seva Kendra (PSK): A center for processing passport applications. The document mentions the importance of the PSK at Solapur in reducing the need for citizens to travel to Pune for passport-related services.
Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK): A type of Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) operating through post offices. The document mentions the POPSK at Pandharpur.
Pune: City where the Regional Passport Office is located and where citizens previously traveled to for passport services before the establishment of PSKs in other cities.
Ministry of External Affairs: The government ministry responsible for the Regional Passport Office and related services.
Regional Passport Office, Pune: The office responsible for passport services in the region, which conducted the visit to PSK Solapur and POPSK Pandharpur.
Ministry of External Affairs
REGIONAL PASSPORT OFFICER, PUNE VISITS
PSK SOLAPUR AND POPSK PANDHARPUR;
REVIEWS OPERATIONS AND SERVICE
DELIVERY
Posted On: 26 FEB 2026 5:48PM by PIB Mumbai
Pune, 26 February 2026
Regional Passport Officer, Dr. Vinod Gaikwad (IFS), Pune, visited the Passport Seva
Kendra (PSK), Solapur and the Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK),
Pandharpur on 23–24 February 2026 to review their functioning and assess the
quality of services being provided to passport applicants.
During the inspection, Dr. Gaikwad reviewed key operational aspects including
appointment management, document verification, applicant facilitation and the
overall infrastructure at the centres. He interacted with the staff and appreciated
their dedicated efforts in ensuring the delivery of timely, efficient and transparent
passport services to citizens of Solapur and the surrounding districts.
Dr. Gaikwad also interacted with several applicants and obtained first-hand feedback
on their experience regarding the application process and the facilities available at
the centres. He emphasized the need to maintain the highest standards of
efficiency, professionalism and a citizen-friendly approach, and encouraged the team
to continue providing seamless and hassle-free services.
Highlighting the importance of the PSK at Solapur and the POPSKs at Pandharpur
and Madha, Dr. Gaikwad noted that these centres have significantly reduced the
need for citizens, particularly those from smaller towns and rural areas, to travel to
Pune for passport-related services. This has made passport services more
accessible, saving time and resources for applicants while expanding the outreach of
the Regional Passport Office.
During his visit, the Regional Passport Officer also met the Commissioner of Police,
Solapur, Shri M. Raj Kumar. The meeting focused on further streamlining the Police
Verification Report (PVR) process to enable faster passport issuance. Issues relating
to the safety and security of the PSK premises and the need for sustained and
coordinated action against the menace of unauthorized agents/touts were also
discussed.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring a secure, transparent and
efficient verification process for the benefit of passport applicants.
The visit reaffirmed the commitment of the Regional Passport Office, Pune toprovide prompt, accessible and citizen-centric passport services across the region
and to continuously strengthen infrastructure and service delivery mechanisms in
line with the growing demand.
PIB Pune | Harshal Akude/ Priti Malandkar
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