Kalpetta: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), In collaboration with the Department of Posts, opened the Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK) at the Head Post Office in Kalpetta, Wayanad District, Kerala, today. This initiative aims to provide passport services closer to the residents of Wayanad, eliminating the need for long journeys to neighboring districts.
This facility was inaugurated by Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and External Affairs, Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh. He was joined by Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, Shri George Kurian; Hon’ble Kalpetta MLA Shri T. Siddique, Hon’ble Sultan Bathery MLA Shri I.C. Balakrishnan, Hon’ble Eranad MLA Shri P.K. Basheer, Joint Secretary (PSP) & Chief Passport Officer Dr. K.J. Srinivasa, Chief Post Master General J.T. Venkateswarlu among others.
In his inaugural address, Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh emphasized the government’s commitment to equitable service delivery, stating, “This is not just the opening of a new facility-it is the strengthening of a system designed to ensure that access to essential services is no longer a privilege of geography but a guarantee of citizenship.” Hon’ble Union Minister of State Shri George Kurian commended the efficiency of passport service system, noting that the Regional Passport Office, Kozhikode issued over six lakh passports in the previous year, and congratulated the office for this outstanding achievement
Wayanad, recognized as an Aspirational District by NITI Aayog, holds significant development potential. The establishment of this POPSK reflects the belief that every Indian, irrespective of their location, deserves seamless access to opportunities.
Initially, the Kalpetta POPSK will cater to 50 applicants daily, with plans to increase capacity to 120 applications per day. Appointments can be scheduled through the official Passport Seva website (www.passportindia.gov.in) or the Passport Seva mobile app, available on Android and iOS platforms.
With the POPSK, the residents of Wayanad district no longer need to travel long distances to neighboring districts for passport and related services. This is the 447th POPSK in India, further strengthening the passport delivery network across the country.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Passport Officer of India, Dr. K. Srinivasa has said that the opening of POPSK Kalpetta demonstrates the commitment of Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India to citizen-centric governance, bringing passport services closer to the people. He expressed gratitude to Department Posts and all other stakeholders for their efforts in making the facility a reality.
The Regional Passport Office (PO) in Kozhikode serves five northern districts of Kerala-Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod -as well as the Mahe region of Puducherry. With the addition of the Kalpetta POPSK, the RPO now operates five Passport Seva Kendras (PSK) and two POPSK, enhancing accessibility for the public. It had achieved a milestone of issuing more than 6 lakh passports last year.
