Passport Seva Kendra — Not given priority with a Mentally Handicapped child

Address:Pune, Maharashtra

My first experience with Passport Seva Kendra was amazing when renewing my passport. The entire process being automated by TCS was just overwhelming. Unfortunately that joy was brought down when I wanted to renew the passport of my sister who is a mentally handicapped child suffering from Downs Syndrome. When I visited the center with my sister and all available documents, I did state that she is a mentally handicapp child and that I would like to stand in the handicapp line. I was told that it is only for new passports and that I would have to get a normal token. My sister had to go through a never ending process which took about 4.5 hours the first time we visited PSK after which they tell me that I need to meet the Assistant Passport Officer - no token was issued and I was told that I need to stand in a line (with about 30 people in there already). After 2 more gruesome hours, the APO tells me that she would need to send me to the main passport office because "she doesn't have the time to open the rule book and read and tell me what extra documents are required" - I'll say that again - "doesn't have the time to open the rule book and read and tell me what extra documents are required". No concern for the person standing in front of them. After going to the main Passport office on another day at 7am in the morning with this child and waiting until 11:30am, I am told that I'm suppose to just get a few annexures and I really wasn't required to come all the way and that it is published on the website. I requested that I check the site in front of her and proved it to her that none of the annexures match. That's when she tells me that "Oh yes then what you can do is write a letter with the required content..." All this fuss was because my parents have passed away and I am the legal guardian of my sister. Now my experience with PSK has taught me that these guys know that they need to ask for a Legal guardianship document but dont know who issues one and therefore kept doubting my case and wanted to investigate further more. Why would I be lying about a Downs Syndrome/Mental retarded child and when they can see the child in front of them why did they still make me go through unnecessary trouble. After getting the documents ready and getting my sister once again through the trauma of reaching the Passport office at 7am and going and standing in the line to get in just to be kept waiting until 12pm and be told that they will get back to me. I did get her passport but after 5 months of struggle. Why cant Passport Seva Kendra officials first learn the process themselves and know of all possible use cases and exceptions and have a stringent process in place. Food for thought.
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When was this? Have they sensitized PSK to handle specially abled people? The website https://www.consumercomplaints.in should log the dates. ---> 8-5-22

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    Pune
    Maharashtra
    India
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