I am a Goan-origin “Bombaikar” who resides in Chembur for over the past 40 years. I often visit Goa to meet my relatives and for other occasions. Since childhood, I have the hobby of collecting postcards and stamps, thanks to my late uncle who used to then work in the Gulf. I frequent Post Offices in and around Mumbai including the Chembur Head Post Office and Mumbai General Post Office. To send a picture postcard via Airmail from India to any country on this planet costs Rupees 15. This is the postage charged not just in Mumbai, but also at the Bengaluru GPO and Delhi’s Post Offices. This is the standard rate. But I was shocked when I visited Goa last month, since the rates seemed to be unstable here. At the Margao Post Office, I was told that the minimum rate was Rs. 12 plus surcharge as per the country. Their faulty mode of calculating made me shell our Rs.21 (Rupees 12+ Rs.9 surcharge) for sending a postcard to the USA via Airmail.
I visited other Post Offices in South Goa including Navelim, Fatorda, Aquem and Raia. I visited the Panjim Head Post Office too and made telephonic enquires with various Post Offices in Goa. I was informed various charges, which were all above Rs. 15. I later filed a grievance online on the CPGRAMS system and the reply received from the SSP Goa reaffirmed the fact that the rate is Rs.15 only, regardless of any nation it is sent to. Plus, the SSP assured that directions shall be issued to all Goan post offices.
While I welcome the action, it is unfortunate that the Post Offices in Goa fleeced so many consumers till date. I have seen many foreign tourists visiting the Post Offices here to send picture postcard back home and those poor folks too must have been duped by the Postal Department. I have written this letter so that the Goan consumers of postal service realise the fact that the Post Office staff can also go wrong and it is always right to file a complaint. I hope the Department mends its ways.
