India's online passport portal unavailable till September 2
What's the story
The Indian government has announced a temporary shutdown of the Passport Seva portal for a period of five days, starting from today at 8:00pm.
This suspension is due to a scheduled maintenance exercise.
During this time, no new appointments can be made and existing ones will be rescheduled.
The portal will resume operations on September 2 at 6:00am.
List
Impact on various authorities
The maintenance exercise will affect not only citizens but also various authorities including the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Regional Passport Offices (RPO), Bureau of Immigration (BOI), India Security Press (ISP), Department of Posts (DoP), and police authorities.
A statement from the MEA clarified that this is a routine procedure with contingency plans in place for rescheduling appointments, ensuring minimal inconvenience to the public.
Significance
Passport Seva portal: A crucial tool
The Passport Seva portal is a vital tool for Indian citizens seeking to apply for new passports or renew existing ones.
It facilitates appointment bookings at centers across the country, where applicants can submit their documents for verification.
Following police verification, the passport is then delivered to the applicant's address.
The portal offers two modes of service - regular and Tatkaal, catering to different timelines based on urgency.
History
Previous disruptions and post-maintenance operations
This is not the first time that the Passport Seva portal has experienced a disruption. A similar maintenance shutdown occurred in March earlier this year.
Once the portal becomes operational again after the current maintenance exercise, the users will be able to resume booking appointments for the fresh issuance of passports, renewals, and other miscellaneous services.