Mangaluru: A demand has been raised for the establishment of Karnataka’s second Regional Passport Office (RPO) in Mangaluru, with concerns being expressed over the increasing workload at the existing Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) and the large geographical area it serves.

Addressing reporters on Wednesday, District Congress Labour Cell president Lawrence D’Souza said Karnataka currently has only one Regional Passport Office, located in Bengaluru, along with five Passport Seva Kendras. In comparison, he said, Kerala has three Regional Passport Offices and Tamil Nadu has four.

D’Souza pointed out that the Mangaluru Passport Seva Kendra caters not only to applicants from Dakshina Kannada but also from Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu and Hassan districts.

Citing passport application figures from 2020 to 2025, he said Karnataka received around 10.01 lakh applications, of which nearly 9.86 lakh were processed. Establishing a Regional Passport Office in Mangaluru, he said, would help reduce the burden on the existing office in Bengaluru and improve services for applicants from several coastal and Malnad districts.

According to D’Souza, the Mangaluru PSK handles around 600 applications on an average working day between 9 am and 5.30 pm. He alleged that several service counters across the centre’s three sections remain without officials, affecting the smooth processing of applications.

He also raised concerns over the token system, alleging that applicants are sometimes called in groups rather than strictly according to their token numbers, leading to confusion among those waiting at the centre.

Highlighting difficulties faced by applicants during document verification, D’Souza said some people are asked to obtain additional photocopies only after reaching the internal counters, despite having spent hours waiting for their turn. He alleged that the photocopy facility charges Rs 10 per page and does not provide a digital payment option.

D’Souza further claimed that the centre faces a serious shortage of seating space during peak hours. While around 250 applicants may be present inside the facility at a time, seating is available for only about 60 people, forcing many applicants, including senior citizens and children, to remain standing.

He also alleged that the centre lacks an adequate drinking water facility. An additional waiting room, with seating for around 25 to 30 people, reportedly has no proper ventilation, while applicants have to use steep iron stairs to reach it.

Parking is another issue faced by applicants, D’Souza said, adding that visitors should be informed in advance about available parking arrangements.

He also called for the establishment of additional Passport Seva Kendras in districts that currently depend on the Mangaluru centre.

Urging the Ministry of External Affairs to examine the proposal, D’Souza demanded the formation of a study committee to assess the feasibility of setting up a Regional Passport Office in Mangaluru. He also appealed to Members of Parliament from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Chikkamagaluru and Kodagu to jointly take up the matter with the Union government and press for improved passport facilities in their respective regions.