TATA group consultancy arm, TCS has signed a deal with the external affairs ministry to implement the Passport Seva Project. The project is aimed to speed up the passport issuance process. The government intends to issue new passport within three working days and under TATKAL scheme on the same day.

The government would open 77 new passport filing centers under the project in different locations of the country. The project is expected to complete by the first week of January 2010 in the entire country.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) signed the Rs 1K-cr deal for six years. It would also help in online filing of passport applications to implement National E-Governance Programme of the government under the project. The company would set up infrastructure at passport sewa kendras with the help of other companies such as, IBM, Nortel, EMC, CMC and Tata Teleservices.

The shares of TCS jumped by 10.1% on the BSE and closed at Rs 575.80 following the agreement between the company and the government. The CEO and MD of TCS, S Ramadorai said that the deal would provide more efficient passport related services to the citizens with the involvement of latest technology.