Pune: Mundhwa Passport Office Shifted to Baner-Pashan Link Road w.e.f March 30

The Passport Seva Kendra in Mundhwa is relocating to Pashan on the Baner-Pashan Link Road. Here is how it affects applicants with upcoming appointments.

If you have a passport appointment scheduled at Pune’s Mundhwa office after March 30, your application centre has moved, but your appointment remains valid. In a significant administrative shift, the Regional Passport Office, Pune, has announced the permanent relocation of the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) from Mundhwa to a new facility on the Baner-Pashan Link Road, effective March 30, 2026.

The decision marks a major change for passport applicants across the city, drawing both praise from western Pune residents and sharp criticism from those in the eastern corridor. Here is everything you need to know about the Pune passport office shift, the new address, and how to navigate your upcoming appointment.

New Address: Where Is the Passport Office Moving?

The existing PSK at Mundhwa will cease operations from March 30. The new facility will be located at:

Mont Claire Building, S. No. 134/1, Part MP-1, Commercial First Floor, Office No. 101 & 102, Baner Pashan Link Road, Pashan, Pune – 411021

The old Mundhwa office, situated at Zero One Building, Ghorpadi-Mundhwa Road, opposite Ganga Orchid, will no longer accept applicants after the shift date. The new location is situated on the Baner-Pashan Link Road, a rapidly developing commercial and residential corridor that already houses the Regional Passport Office (RPO) at Passport Bhavan.

What Happens to Existing Appointments?

The Regional Passport Office has issued a clear advisory for applicants. If you already hold an appointment at the Mundhwa centre for a date on or after March 30, 2026, you do not need to reschedule.

All such applicants must instead report to the new PSK at Baner-Pashan Link Road, Pashan, at the same date and time as originally booked. Officials have urged citizens to verify the new location in advance and plan their travel accordingly to avoid last-minute confusion.

For those with appointments before March 30, services will continue as usual at the Mundhwa facility until its final day of operation.

Western Pune Welcomes the Shift

The relocation has been widely welcomed by residents of Baner, Aundh, Balewadi, Hinjawadi, and Pimpri-Chinchwad. For these areas, the new PSK is significantly closer, reducing travel time and decongesting the eastern part of the city.

Residents working in the IT hub of Hinjawadi and surrounding suburbs have long found the Mundhwa location difficult to access due to heavy traffic on the Pune-Hadapsar corridor. The shift to Pashan aligns with the city’s westward growth and brings a key government service closer to a large section of the population.

Eastern Pune Residents Raise Concerns

However, the decision has sparked strong opposition from citizens and experts in eastern Pune. For areas such as Hadapsar, Kharadi, Viman Nagar, Koregaon Park, and Kondhwa, the new location poses significant accessibility challenges.

Aviation expert Dhairyashil Wandekar has been among the prominent voices criticising the move. Speaking to local media, he pointed out that the Mundhwa centre served a vast catchment area in the east and that travelling to Pashan during peak traffic hours could take up to two hours one way.

Critics argue that the shift places an undue burden on residents who already face long commutes, and they have called on authorities to reconsider the decision or establish a second centre in the east to balance the load.

Experts Suggest Two-Centres Solution

Given Pune’s rapid urban sprawl, several stakeholders and urban planning experts have suggested that operating a single passport centre for the entire city may no longer be practical. The city’s population has grown exponentially across both eastern and western corridors, and a one-size-fits-all approach to location planning often leaves a significant portion of citizens at a disadvantage.

Many experts have recommended that instead of relocating the Mundhwa centre entirely, the administration should consider operating two full-fledged Passport Seva Kendras, one in the east and one in the west. This, they argue, would ensure equitable access to passport services for all Punekars, regardless of which side of the city they reside in.

Context: Passport Services in Pune

It is important to note that the Regional Passport Office (RPO), Pune, is already located on the Baner-Pashan Link Road. The PSK shifting from Mundhwa is a separate service delivery centre under the Passport Seva Programme. The RPO has recently conducted open houses and grievance redressal sessions, signalling an active effort to streamline services amid growing demand.

The shift also comes at a time when the Ministry of External Affairs has been rolling out upgraded infrastructure under its PSP 2.0 initiative, aimed at improving citizen experience and reducing wait times across passport offices nationwide.

What Applicants Should Do Now

If you are a passport applicant in Pune, here are the key steps to take:

• Check your appointment date. If your appointment is before March 30, proceed to the Mundhwa centre as scheduled.
• If your appointment is on or after March 30, note that your appointment remains valid. You must visit the new Pashan location on the Baner-Pashan Link Road at your original date and time.
• Plan your commute. The new centre is located in a bustling commercial area. Factor in extra travel time, especially if you are travelling from eastern Pune.
• Follow official updates. The Regional Passport Office is sharing timely updates on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle: @rpopune.

For the exact location, applicants can scan the QR code shared in the official announcement or use mapping services to locate the Mont Claire Building on the Baner-Pashan Link Road.

Conclusion

The Mundhwa passport office relocation to Baner-Pashan Link Road represents a significant shift in how passport services are delivered in Pune. While it brings relief to western Pune residents, it also highlights the growing need for decentralised government services in a rapidly expanding metropolitan area.

With the new centre set to begin operations on March 30, applicants are advised to stay informed, verify their appointment details, and plan their travel to the new location accordingly. Whether this move will be followed by further infrastructure expansion remains to be seen, but for now, all eyes are on how the transition unfolds.