I got the Canadian PPTs in First week of December. Applied for eVisa for India on 12the Dec, received it on 13 (pretty straight forward application).
Traveled India on 18th. No questions from Immigration on arrival, The wanted us to fill the arrival forms with address details in India. Took our photos and finger prints.
We carried Indian PPTS with us to surrender them In India.
You have to fill in online application to surrender the PPT. Once completed you have to pay 500INR Fees online and print the Appointment form(important). The form has barcode which they use to scan and get the details. Also, for appointments they open the slot at 4:30 PM daily and it fills in minutes. I saw available appointment after 3 weeks.
The RPO, is the only place you can surrender Indian PPT, PSKs are not equipped to handle surrender requests. .
1) So, we went to RPO on Thursday since its free walk in day. Gate opening time was 9;30, and I saw alt east 500+ people waiting in line there. We had some contacts who let us in without line.
2)After we went in There is section called POLICY who is responsible for surrender certificates. They told us for Surrender certificates you don't need appointments.
3) They told us to refill the form again since my kids PPT has Canadian address, they want proof of address as India. For me I had Indian address, but they said bring Adhar card
oops
. Then They told us to photo copy all the pages, including empty pages of Indian PPT, Canadian citizenship certificate copy, Canadian PPT copy. They asked us to attached Parents PPT as address proof for kids, and for us Adhar card. We had jumbo PPT with 60 pages. 4 PPTS with 60 pages each. I had a 260+ pages file.
4) You have to sign all the pages, for kids both parents need to sign.
5) They sent us a floor down for photographs and finger printing. ( The computer broke down several times) After spending few hours we could complete the process.
6)Then went upstairs and gave them the SLIPS of finger prints completion.
7)They asked us to come after two days.
8)Got a call after two days, went and picked up the surrender
The staff was helpful, but too bureaucratic. Also, I find the process to be lengthy since we had 4 PPTs.
If you have time then you can attempt it. But for some one who has short time and want to spend it elsewhere better to surrender in Canada.
Only thing is its fees which is 500 INR, but the process eats up two days from your holidays/trip.
The Police manning gates some time does not allow you to go inside, so you will need to try multiple times to enter inside. Or, get hold of some one who can let you enter.
Also, they asked me did you travel on Indian passport after receiving Canadian PPT. Since I did not travel, I said NO. Again, they want me to write on a paper confirming that I did not travel on Indian PPT after receiving Canadian Citizenship.
I will apply for OCI later this month.