Ok folks, just got back from the Embassy in Washington. Bottom line, as relayed to be my Mr. Nateshan, the officer who issues OCI cards/stamps: "We sent out the notifications in mid-January, but were not prepared for the sudden large influx of applications. We have received nearly 1800 in a week. The office only has 2 staff members to process all this. We processed nearly 220 yesterday alone. Please be patient. We will clear the backlog by this week or the next." He also acknowledged that he had gotten an email from me (more like 4! And several voice-mails!) and was very apologetic. He took down my application # (I basically gave him a printout of the email the Embassy had sent me on Jan. 17. @Emno: I gave him your case number as well.) and assured me that it will be processed soon. He did not have a way of looking anything up, because everything is processed manually and he pointed at various tubs of FedEx and UPS mailers of applications that had come in.
Other information: The OCI in-person inquiry is on the 1st floor of the Consular wing and opens promptly at 1230, and not a minute earlier. You ring the bell and the babu lets you in; you go in, sign a register and it's in a little office on the left. Of course, the fact that these are the hours and this is the procedure isn't written in anywhere on the website or in the Consular wing. I asked the babu fellow when I first arrived (speaking in Hindi) at 11:00 and he told me to return at 1230. It was only thanks to information from this forum that I had an idea of the 1230 time and where to go. There were 3 other gentlemen in line with me, all with the same issue, and it seems, also with travel coming up. All got the same assurance.
Here's the best part. I got back and what was in the mailbox? Yep! My passport and OCI card! Ha ha! It was mailed yesterday, so I guess mine was among the 220 that was processed yesterday. For the others still waiting, I hope yours arrives soon.
Thanks for inquiring about my case.
Hope I will mine soon.
thanks