Ahmedabad: Passport applicants in Gujarat are facing longer wait times due to a surge in applications ahead of the festive and travel season. At Ahmedabad’s Vijay Crossroads PSK, the wait has stretched to 22 days, while Bapunagar PSK sees a 15-day delay. Notably, the usual wait time at these PSKs is just 2 days.

Similarly, Vadodara and Rajkot applicants are facing waits of 17 and 13 days, respectively. Tatkal passport slots, however, remain available the next day.

Speaking on the long wait time situation, Regional Passport Officer Abhijit Shukla said a 10-day wait is normal, but the Vijay Crossroads PSK experiences higher demand from western Ahmedabad. This surge started after the Mithakhali PSK was shifted to Bapunagar. Applicants can also opt for Bapunagar PSK for relief, and appointments are even being scheduled on holidays to reduce the backlog.

It is learnt that PSK staff are working at full capacity, processing up to 750 applications daily despite a previous backlog of 10,000. Travel agents noted the rush is driven by early renewals for summer vacations and haj travel, with many seeking renewals even a year before expiry. DeshGujarat