Union Minister of State for External and Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan on Thursday laid the foundation stone of a new regional passport office building here.
The permanent building of the office is coming up on a two-acre plot in Murma under Nagri block, adjacent to Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ranchi.
Speaking on the occasion, Muraleedharan said, ”India would be among the top three economies of the world in the coming years. When it happens, it will lead to an influx of economic activities. A passport office will be required then.” He added, ”In 2022, the number of people applying for passports in Jharkhand crossed 1 lakh. In the coming days, more people will travel abroad.” He said there are 37 regional passport offices in the country. Advance security features are being added with e-passport facilities to prevent manipulation, he added.
For the past 20 years, Ranchi passport office has been functioning out of a rented accommodation near Ratu Road. The new building is expected to be functional in next two years, an official said.
