Noida: Poor management and inadequate facilities at an Aadhaar Seva Kendra in the basement of Blue Sapphire Mall are making theprocess an ordeal for the people visiting the centre for enrolment, address and name corrections, photograph updates and other documentation services. Long queues form outside the centre as people wait for tokens. Visitors alleged that even after waiting for hours, they often fail to get their work done in a single day and are forced to return. The basement centre also lacks adequate seating and fans.On Friday afternoon, 71-year-old Naval Kishore Tiwari and his wife took turns to stand in the queue outside the centre as they waited to collect a token for their five-year-old granddaughter. “We are here to enrol our granddaughter for Aadhaar. She needs it for her admission in school next year,” he said.A knee injury restricts Tiwari from standing in one place for too long. So, he was left with no other choice but to let his wife take his place. Every 15 minutes, he left the queue, took support of a wall and rested while he kept watch on his granddaughter. There were no seats.Tiwari, like many others who were waiting for a token, was unaware that he could book an appointment to avail the services. The centre attracts visitors from nearby housing societies and surrounding villages. The lack of adequate seating arrangements and fans adds to their difficulties. Visitors also complain of poor ventilation and overcrowding inside the basement.Several private agencies operate alongside the centre and provide assistance for Aadhaar-related services, marriage certificates, passports, visas and other documents.“My infant son needs to be fed, and there is not even enough space to stand,” said Habitpur resident Raadha. “It is difficult to breathe. Imagine what it is like for my son. There is no fan, no ventilation, and I have nobody to look after him.” For Raadha, this was the third time in two months that she had made the trip to the centre, carrying her infant with her. On her previous visit, she had tried to get her Aadhaar card linked to her PAN; however, it could not be done. This time, she turned to one of the private agencies operating in the basement alongside the centre, paying Rs 1,200 to get it done.However, Sumit (30), a law student from Sector 52, said he was prepared to wait in the queue. “For all these years, I never felt I needed an Aadhaar card as I had a voter id. Last time I was here, despite standing in line for 30 mins, the counter closed and my number did not come,” he said.Despite repeated attempts, Noida administration officials could not be reached for comment.
