SHILLONG: Tura MP Conrad Sangma met Union Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj on Monday and requested her to open a passport office in the West Garo Hills town.
The Union Minister while considering the request assured that she would look into the proposal. Later, Sangma said the State definitely requires more passport offices since it shares a long boundary with Bangladesh and many times people find it difficult to travel in absence of a passport office. “This will be a right step in the Centre’s idea of Act East policy,” he added.
Since Garo Hills does not have a passport office, people in entire Garo Hills region, who wish to apply for passports, are forced to travel to Guwahati or Shillong.
The State’s first Passport Seva Kendra was inaugurated in Shillong in 2014.
Prior to the opening of the centre, people from the State were forced to visit the passport office in Guwahati.
