Submission #36

Doing business in India is like travelling on a road with multiple roadblocks. Every hurdle has to be crossed in order to reach your destination. Unnecessary & excessive laws hamper business growth. Time consuming approvals required at every step.(1) As an example, Indian passport applicants in Palghar district of Western Maharashtra are asked to bring one witness(2) who is not a relative and should reside in the same building as the person who wants a passport.

Does such a rule even exist? No such law is clearly mentioned on Passport Seva website(3). So, an applicant has to visit the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) with original documents, then again to Police Station with same original documents and also the witness from same building. Why can't both be integrated? Also, laws need to clear cut for valuable documents like a passport.
Any genuine entrepreneurs, small businesses or solo travellers in Palghar district may not be able to expand their journeys, if they can't bring witness from same building.

In my opinion, this is just ridiculous! One shouldn't have to go through such pains to obtain a passport. And even if the procedure is a little lengthy, they should at least mention it clearly on the website.

(1): http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/company/corporate-trends/licence-raj-replaced-by-time-consuming-approval-raj-biocon-cmd-kiran-mazumdar-shaw/articleshow/53490079.cms?from=mdr

(2): https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CpQ2_2dUMAE70RB.jpg

(3): http://passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/online/faqPoliceVerification