Seating Shortage at Lalbagh Road Passport Office Forces Jayanagar Visitors to Stand

Visitors and accompanying family members, including a resident of Jayanagar, recently faced physical strain and inconvenience due to inadequate seating arrangements outside the Lalbagh Road Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) in Bengaluru. While passport applicants are permitted inside the facility for processing, their accompanying relatives and companions are forced to stand outside for hours due to a severe shortage of seating in the waiting area.

On a recent weekday, dozens of visitors could be seen waiting around the premises. Some sought shade under nearby trees, while others stood along pathways and boundary walls. The lack of basic waiting infrastructure has become a recurring inconvenience, particularly impacting senior citizens, parents accompanying young children, and those traveling from distant parts of the city.

S Ramesh, a resident of Jayanagar, recounted his experience accompanying his daughter to her 11:00 AM appointment. He explained that he joined her because she was carrying several documents. Although the passport processing inside took nearly two hours, Ramesh found very few spots available outside, leaving most people, including elderly individuals, standing the entire time.

The situation becomes increasingly difficult during afternoon hours as temperatures rise. Parents accompanying minors also voiced frustration over the lack of basic waiting facilities. A resident of Banashankari, who visited the centre with her seven-year-old son for his passport renewal, shared that there was nowhere for them to sit while waiting for their turn to enter. She noted that children get restless and elderly family members cannot remain standing for such long durations.

Several visitors pointed out that while the internal passport processing is generally efficient, the external infrastructure has not kept pace with the high volume of daily visitors. Mohan Kumar, who accompanied his wife to the centre, suggested that simple arrangements like additional benches or chairs would make a significant difference for the public.

Other visitors, such as Anita George, who accompanied her father, suggested the installation of covered waiting zones with drinking water facilities and designated spaces for families and senior citizens. The Lalbagh Road PSK remains one of Bengaluru's busiest passport processing hubs, leaving many to call for urgent infrastructure improvements to accommodate the high demand.