This refers to the news item Railway Eyes India Post services for last-mile connectivity (Herald, 21 August).
The much hype of the 24-hour door-to-door parcel service of India Post does not hold water as I would like to narrate a nightmarish experience I have encountered with their Speed Post delivery service during the lockdown period wherein my Article No. EA209155141IN bearing my driving licence was handed over to them by Regional Transport Officer (RTO) for delivery to my residence at Vashi, Navi Mumbai, on July 9, 2020.
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I regret to inform you that the beat postman assigned to deliver my article never visited my residence and entered a disparaging remark on his worksheet stating that addressee left without intimation. With the result, the consignment remains undelivered till date. Even personal appeals made to the Postmaster by my tenant to return the parcel or redirect the same to the addressee at his Goa address has not yielded results.
The Postal Departments are still cocooned in the Inspector Raj syndrome given that most of its services have been taken over by the private players who render a fabulous job.
The e-commerce portals too has eaten into a major share of India Post business as it remains a laggard without innovation having failed to capitalise on its first mover advantage.
Even after sending several reminders by Speed Post letters, followed by emails to the Postmaster General, Navi Mumbai and other related postal authorities, the elusive article is being shuttled between the RTO and Vashi Post Office. The Beat Postman and Postmaster of Vashi Post Office are playing truant. As is common knowledge, the government departments are bloated “White Elephants” which operate in water-tight compartments, and the Department of Post is no exception.
As a last resort, I have even lodged my complaint on the Public Grievance portal of the Ministry of Grievance, an initiative headed by the Prime Minister, wherein citizens can highlight the problems faced while dealing with the government departments and officials and the Senior Superintendent Post Offices, who was assigned my grievance put a stereotype remarks “Case Closed” without going into the nitty-gritty of the complaint.
By highlighting and exposing the vexed issue through the esteemed column of your daily, better sense may prevail on India Post by duly returning the long awaited parcel to the addressee.
