LUCKNOW, July 25 -- A surge in passport applications following a revision of passport fees (that came into effect on July 1), has exhausted appointment slots across the Regional Passport Office (RPO), Lucknow. This prompted authorities to launch a special drive on August 1 to reduce the backlog and problems applicants face in booking slots. The regional passport officer Gyanveer Singh has opened additional appointment slots on August 1, across all four Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs) and 33 Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) under its jurisdiction. Applicants can book appointments through the Passport Seva Portal and complete the application process at their allotted Passport Seva Kendra or Post Office Passport Seva Kendra. Officials have advised applicants to carry all original documents along with photocopies on the scheduled date. In another key reform aimed at improving public service delivery, the RPO has announced that from August 17, only applicants with a valid online appointment will be allowed to attend the Public Grievance Redressal Programme at the Regional Passport Office....