The high-level meeting of Pune Passport Grievance Forum with senior-most officials of Tata Consultancy Services organised by Moneylife Foundation at its Mumbai office has raised some hopes for the generally harassed passport applicant
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I Congratulate the efforts of done at moneylife to bring TCS to listen the greivances.
I request my comments be not taken personal, my apologies, if they have hert the some participants from citizens side.
I don't think TCS should feel bad, actualy transparency is very less from them. Otherwise they would have complied the Information Commissions order. They still say will have to consult legal department. Is their legal department bigger than the order of commission.
TCS is having most of the contracts of Mahaharastra government, including the BMC. Maharashtra and BMC website also does not have any agreement posted on the website which need to be as per to Seqction 4 of RTI.
You may find some time potehole tender on website of BMC but not of any IT company.
I applied for passport of myself, daughter and wife on on-line application on 8th March, two times got msg to contact on 10th, 13th and now 17th. It is surprising how come the slot gets full before the time allotted to get in touch online. This is my experience.
I just came to know about the meet when I spoke to Vijay for some other issue, when he was travelling to Mumbai for the meet.It was just a coincidence of my application for passport and the mail of Moneylife on passport on 13th. So thought of informing of very current problem.
I may not be able to participate to take responsibility as already there involvement for formtion of SALT(Social Audit Local Team), Mahti Adhikar Manch and added one more of NCPRI. So I may not be able to do justice for additional responsibility.
Thanks
Bhaskar Prabhu
The bigger issue at Chennai is the one about police verification. That takes time and a lot of 'push'. Hope the police verification at Pune / Mumbai is greasefree.
Again, it is sad that a routine experience becomes a nightmare and requires high profile intervention.
Congratulations for bringing the TCS officials to the table for discussions.
I am surprised that their manager is quoted as saying like:
"Shalini Mathur, senior Manager, TCS, stated that, “It has always been open for seven days from the day you log in, but most applicants are unaware of the same.’’ For some strange reason, this was not given adequate publicity."
Now as an applicant I have no choice in this.As i log in for an appointment, I see a date and some time slots.I click randomly and pray that it goes forward.Now where is the choice of 7 days??Almost all applicants are seeking any day any time and not trying for an appointment of their date and time.Most likely when the applicant clicks on any time slot, the system goes slow and will not result in the appointment getting successful.
You may also call the TCS officials to your office to try out the exercise of getting an appointment fixed by them using your system.You may call for some volunteers who have not been able to get an online appointment for their log in ID and password.This may be tried by TCS to know first hand the problem faced by the common man.If the TCS guys get an appointment by their trying, the person who got the appointment fixed will be happy and thankful.Else TCS will know the problem first hand.
I am trying to get the appointment via net for the past 3 days I am not getting at all. It gives us the next date to get in touch. Every time to they give date of contact and time to contact is 3.oopm but when you go to their site the slot is full before time. Latter when you visit their site at 3.00 pm again they will give next date to contact so again it come try on and on ...
So I contacted the help line they said visit the Pass Port office at Mumbai with online registration number and they will help to get the appointment then what is the use of online form submission.
It is all an eyewash and just one more pr from TCS.
Bhaskar Prabhu
MAhiti Adhikar MAnch
Mumbai
I wish you were there for the meeting yesterday. It was certainly open to all activists. We had also asked people to send in passport related issues and received just three or four that have been passed on to TCS.
Had you come, you would have been able to make your point.
The meeting was frank and open and as someone who has spent over 27 years in journalism and activism, I can tell you that it was a genuine attempt to understand issues, explain bottle necks and find a solution.
I dont think it is fair for you to dismiss it as PR without having been there.
In fact, what TCS has done, if you want to call it PR in the most positive sense, must be appreciated and emulated by the rest of corporate India.
I dont see Infosys, which is in a similar situation over MCA21 as well as the Tax website, try and reach out to people. They simple wash their hands off and tell us to talk to the government.
What made the meeting so meaningful yesterday is that Vinita Deshmukh, Vijay Kumbhar and Sandeep Khardekar were so well prepared.
Hats off to Vinita for waking up at 2.45 in the morning to prepare a power-point presentation and to come all the way from Pune to be in for the meeting before 10.30 am.
Even after the meeting there is a flurry of activity in the passport office at Pune. Why not make an attempt to do a serious study of the problem in Mumbai? Document the problem and lets take it up.
best
Sucheta
After my two appearances at the Sub-Registrar's Worli office, I'm convinced with a dedicated person at the helm of affairs assisted by a lean and mean staff and working software and hardware even the most ancient of state govt. bodies can deliver more efficiently.
The Sub-Registrar has funded from his pocket a wheel chair here and also at his two earlier rural postings.
In Mumbai there is no lift for the elderly and handicapped to
access the steep 2nd Floor. His requests are in vain! He needs help!
Though a Maharashtra Govt. entity it is most unlike one.
Most Citizen-friendly in the truest sense and needs to be replicated by all Pass Port offices too.
Operates in 7am-2pm and 2-9pm.
Grants appointments too.
Everything computerized - Finger printing and iris scanning. Enough comfortable seating with all day Marathi TV channel.
Sub-registrar Mr. Samudre extremely friendly, Cell 9730273300. Suggests SMS before calling.
Worth a visit by all activists.