Coronavirus: Appointments to be reduced by half at Hyderabad passport office

Hyderabad: The Regional Passport Office (RPO) in Hyderabad has decided to reduce its appointments by 50 per cent and address only urgent passport inquiries. In a statement released on 20 March, the passport office further requested applicants to reschedule their appointments to any date after 7 April. “Applicants are requested to visit Passport Seva Kendras only if they require urgent passport services and NOT to visit if they have fever/cough,” said the passport office on Friday.

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— RPO Hyderabad (@rpohyderabad) March 20, 2020

It was further informed that restriction on rescheduling appointments has been relaxed, owing to the current scenario. “One can now change their appointment date multiple times without paying an extra fee or visiting the regional passport main office in Secunderabad,” the RPO officials said.

General inquiries on routine cases will not be entertained at the main office until 31 March. In case of any urgent queries, applicants are requested to call 040-27716199 or mail at rpo.hyderabad@mea.gov.in.

In an advisory, the passport office said that people who have recently returned from abroad should avoid visiting Passport Seva Kendras and passport offices until 7 April. These measures are temporary and will be reviewed after two weeks, according to the authorities.

As of 20 March, a total of 196 active COVID-19 cases have been registered across India, as per the data updated by the Union ministry of health and family welfare. Telangana has recorded 18 Corona-positive cases. A 24-year-old patient from the state was discharged on 13 March.