Karnataka Heritage Passport Draws Crowds In Bengaluru As Collectors Queue Up To Buy ₹600 Edition

Hundreds thronged the Bengaluru GPO to buy the Karnataka Philately Passport. The GPO sold 1,500 passports on the first day of the two-day sale.

Hundreds of heritage enthusiasts and stamp collectors gathered at the General Post Office in Bengaluru on Saturday to purchase the Karnataka Philately Passport. Queues stretched from the premises towards the Press Club as buyers waited their turn.

The GPO sold 1,500 passports on the first day of the two-day sale, with another 2,000 scheduled for Sunday. Priced at Rs 600, the passport is designed as a travel diary that encourages people to explore Karnataka's heritage sites and collect local stamps and unique Permanent Pictorial Cancellations from designated post offices.

The passports are being sold over the counter, with no online booking or pre-booking facility available.

Across Karnataka, 8,000 passports are being made available at four locations. Besides the Bengaluru GPO, 1,500 copies each are being sold at head post offices in Mysuru, Mangaluru, and Belagavi. On Saturday, these three centres sold 500 copies each, with 1,000 more scheduled for sale at each location on Sunday.

V Tara, Director of Postal Services, Bengaluru Region, said three people who had visited all the listed post offices and collected the unique PPCs were felicitated by the GPO.

The initiative has drawn significant interest from philately enthusiasts and heritage lovers alike, with many praising the concept of combining travel with stamp collection. The passport serves as both a collector's item and a guide to exploring the state's postal and cultural heritage.

The sale continues on Sunday, with organisers expecting similar enthusiasm from buyers.