CH NEWS BENGALURU The Karnataka Postal Circle will release more Philately Passports in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru and Belagavi during National Postal Week. The passports will be available on October 10 and 11, with at least 1,000 copies expected at Bengaluru’s General Post Office and around 500 each in Mysuru, Mangaluru and Belagavi on both days. Each passport will cost Rs 600. A senior Karnataka Postal Circle official said the initiative had received an overwhelming response, particularly from families, travel enthusiasts, bikers and philately enthusiasts. Hundreds of enquiries have reportedly reached post offices through social media messages and phone calls, while some people have visited the GPO directly to check availability. “We don’t want people to go through the hassle of queuing up on working days. Passports will be sold on October 10 and 11, including the Sunday, to make them more accessible,” the official said. The department is procuring additional passports and may increase the number available in Bengaluru depending on demand. Staff will work on the two days despite them being government holidays. The Philately Passport features 100 pictorial cancellations showcasing Karnataka’s natural, historical and cultural heritage. Landmarks include Vidhana Soudha, Bannerghatta National Park, Nandi Hills, Hampi’s Stone Chariot, Gol Gumbaz, Galaganatha Temple at Pattadakal, Nagarhole National Park and Kapu Lighthouse. Visitors can obtain a postage stamp matching the theme of a listed landmark at a designated post office. The stamp is then fixed in the passport and accompanied by a unique permanent pictorial cancellation for that location. For the first time, the Postal Circle has also collaborated with artisans producing handcrafted Channapatna toys. Merchandise such as letter boxes, keychains and postman pen stands will be available, along with postcards featuring GI-tagged Channapatna toys. Travel enthusiast Natarajan Venkatesan said he completed all 100 cancellations after buying a passport in April.