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Friday, July 10, 2015

Divisional Union seeks intervention of Circle Union/CHQ/NFPE on inaction of the service provider with regard to insufficient bandwidth and slow network connectivity issues

All India Postal Employees Union, Group-C
(Affiliated to National Federation of Postal Employees)
Bhubaneswar Divisional Branch
Ashoknagar Mukhya Dak Ghar, Bhubaneswar – 751 009
eMail : aipeup3bbsr@gmail.com, Blog : aipeup3bbsr.blogspot.in 

No. UN/BN–AIPEU/Gr.-C/05-07/2015
Dated at Bhubaneswar the 10th July, 2015
To
The Circle Secretary
All India Postal Employees Union, Group-C
Odisha Circle Branch, Bhubaneswar – 751 007 

Sub:-   Inaction of the service provider with regard to insufficient bandwidth and slow network connectivity issues 

Dear Comrade,
This has a reference to this union’s endorsement No. UN/BN–AIPEU/Gr.-C/01-06/2015, dated 18.06.2015 with request to take up several issues especially related to CBS Finacle problems including insufficient bandwidth and slow network connectivity. The letter has been originally addressed to the SSPOs, Bhubaneswar endorsing copy to the Circle Union, CHQ and NFPE to take up the issue at appropriate level for bringing out an immediate solution. 

We have been waiting for a response for more than 50 days. But surprisingly, not a single reply from any corner has been received till date. 

In this context, we would like to request you to go through the following facts narrated on our  practical experience gained as the Postmaster of a CBS Post Office. Hope, you will find time to read it and think at least to respond with your action taken report so that the members at grass root level can be hopeful that the issues are being taken up at higher levels for arriving at necessary solutions. 

Ashoknagar MDG with SOL ID 75100901 and WEG Code 19873 was migrated to CBS platform on 11.05.2015. The office is having 9 nodes including the Server out of which Finacle is being operated in 4 nodes ( 2 counters, 1 Supervisor and 1 Postmaster) with NSP 1(BSNL) for 256 Kbps and NSP-2 (Sify) with 128 Kbps. Soon after the migration, the problem of sluggish connectivity was realized apart from link failure compelling both the Counter P As and the customers to wait for hours together for finishing the transaction(s). Within just 3 to 4 days when customers’ dissatisfaction raised to the maximum, the Postmaster, Ashoknagar MDG started intimating all concerned viz. SSPOs, Bhubaneswar Division, CPC & DMCC, Odisha Circle and AD (PMU), CO, Bhubaneswar including Sify’s Help Desk. 

With reference the eMail dated 15.05.2015 of the Postmaster, Ashoknagar MDG on the above subject, the Asst. Director (PMU), Circle Office, Bhubaneswar requested the Directorate (DDG, Technology)  vide his letter No. PMU/1-5/2012/Ch.I, dated 15.05.2015 to increase the bandwidth of Ashoknagar MDG under intimation to Sify and N I Support team, Chennai. But no improvement was noticed except receipt of an auto-generated report on 15.05.2015 as follows: 

“Dear Customer,
With reference to your mail, we have raised a Incident  ID and providing you the details    below
Incident No  :  112221
Kindly quote this Incident  ID for all your future communication with us for this request.
Our technical team is currently working towards ensuring a speedy resolution for the reported issue.
We will keep you posted on the progress of the Incident  ID through timely updates.
Assuring you of our best services at all times”
Regards,
Ponnambalam.C
SIFY TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED


 The staff members of Ashoknagar MDG waited for more than a month along with verbal/telephonic contacts with CPC and C O (AD, PMU ) and due to no improvement, they again reminded all concerned on  23.06.2015 and 24.06.2015. 

Again on their reminder dated 23.06.2015, they got an auto-generated reply as above from Sify Help Desk  with a new Incident ID : 123136 with similar assurances as above that their technical team is working to ensure a speedy resolution for the reported issue and will keep posted the progress of the Incident ID through timely update. 

The matter continued without any solution and situation became such that the staff members of Ashoknagar MDG had to leave office without EoD on 29.06.2015 under intimation to all concerned through eMail in response to which they again got another auto-generated reply from Sify Help Desk with new Incident ID : 125141 for the third time repeating the above assurances  that their technical team is working to ensure a speedy resolution for the reported issue and will keep posted the progress of the Incident ID through timely update. 

Subsequently on 30th June, 2015, Mr. Anthony from DoP’s Technical Team discussed the fact with the Postmaster, Ashoknagar MDG and assessed the situation. According to Mr. Anthony,  a CBS office needs at least 256 Kbps per node operating Finacle and 128 Kbps per node operating other internet activities. Ashoknagar MDG has 9 nodes including the Server out of which 4 nodes are loaded with Finacle ( Postmaster, Supervisor & 2 counters ) and 1 MPCM, 1 Treasury and 2 for Postman and Despatch. Thus, Ashoknagar MDG needs at least 2 Mbps [( 256 x 4 ) + ( 128 x 5 )]. 

Soon after the above discussion, the Postmaster Ashoknagar got an eMail as follows: 

From :   Mahesh   mahesh.gunasekaran@sifycorp.com

Dear  Mukhya,
As per the your conversation with Antony, We are observing the bandwidth for the location is 256kbps which is insufficient for 9 PC.
Please upgrade the bandwidth to about 2Mbps for better performance.
Please reply with approval mail from Division or Niteam for further assistance. 
Regards,

Mahesh G
DOP.NOC 

Immediately, on receipt of the above mail, Circle Office asked SSPOs, Bhubaneswar on 30.06.2015 to submit the formal proposal in prescribed format for required bandwidth and SSPOs, Bhubaneswar did accordingly on 01.07.2015.  

But since the problem could not be solved till 6th July, 2015, Ashoknagar MDG again reminded all concerned on 7th July, 2015 and without any surprise, they did receive an auto-generated reply from Sify Help Desk with a new Incident ID : 127206 once again for the fourth time reiterating the same assurances that their technical team is working to ensure a speedy resolution for the reported issue and will keep posted the progress of the Incident ID through timely update. 

And till date the problem has remained unsolved in spite of continuous correspondences for nearly last 2 months.  

The meaning of raising Incident IDs frequently without updating the last one previously raised is not at all understood. While generating the Incident ID, though Sify Help Desk is assuring that their technical team is working to ensure a speedy resolution for the reported issue and will keep posted the progress of the Incident ID through timely updates; it is clear from the above facts of Ashoknagar MDG that nothing is being happened as such.  

The inaction as a whole to increase the bandwidth of a single office even during a period of 2 months puts several questions on smooth functioning of CBS and correct implementation of I T Modernization Project including the dream of the Hon’ble Prime Minister for a Digital India. It is not understood who is at fault and who will solve the issue – Sify or the Department? When the issue will be resolved? Will it come to an end one day on raising of the first Incident ID or it will continue for all other offices to be migrated in future as of Ashoknagar MDG? If the position is such with migration of a few offices to CBS, what will happen in future when all offices will be migrated as announced by the Department along with CSI. It is known from an unauthenticated source that the capacity of the Central Server ( perhaps 600 Mbps at present)  is too low for data pooling in comparison to the number of post offices migrated so far for which NSP -1 under BSNL cloud is being obstructed causing slow connectivity / link failure and NSP-2 being half of the capacity of NSP-1 is adding to the problem. When the technical faults are not properly understood by the Counter P As / Supervisor / SPMs dealing with CBS since nothing is clearly explained anywhere or by anybody, how they will make the customers understand except a coded reply that the system is slow or the link has been failed by just seeing their computer screen not opening at all for operation.  

The story of Ashoknagar MDG is just illustrative and Sluggish Connectivity or Link Failure is one of the problems out of hundreds in CBS Finacle. There are several transaction errors contradicting to S B Rulings, which will be reported separately. 

In this context, you might be aware that out of 2590 CBS post offices all over India, only 66 post offices including 35 HOs have been migrated to CBS so far in Odisha Circle during December-2014 to May-2015 and almost all offices are facing the problem of sluggish connectivity and link failure most of the time inviting innumerable public complaints / staff resentments.  

1.     The Postal Assistants only are falling prey to the anger of the public from dawn to dusk due to continuous arguments/counter-arguments which is grossly affecting their efficiency in addition to demoralization since they are not in a position to give a correct reply to the customers as to when the failed link will be restored or the slow connectivity will be faster.  

2       The Postal Assistants are just sitting to work and waiting to work for sluggish connectivity and link failure. They are very much trying to work and crying to work for restoring the customers’ relationship and goodwill of the Department.  But surprisingly, they are not being cooperated timely as desired with required technical, hardware and manpower support. 

3.     The zeal and feel to work are no more. Every day, the P As of CBS post offices are coming with all sorts of preparedness to tolerate the rude behavior of the customers without any reaction since the customers have nothing to do with the Department’s failure to solve the problems.  

4.     The defined fixed duty hour is no more and the staff are working till late night regularly without any financial or other compensation. 

5.     Women employees working in Finacle are worst suffers being unnecessarily detained regularly till late night inviting serious social-life disorders.   

6.     The customers’ reactions are quite natural. In a very dissatisfied mood, the esteemed customers have to wait for hours together to finish their transaction(s). The senior citizens are registering their resentment both for delayed transaction and many times for no transaction. The agents are dissatisfied for non-printing of Pass Books. Due to sluggish connectivity, the staff are prioritizing completion of transactions of those customers standing in the queue during the short-time connectivity period rather than printing of Pass Books only to avoid rush.  

7.     The customers are regularly threatening to close the accounts and proceed to consumer forum for bad services and writing as such in the Complaint and Suggestion Book. 

Such list of issues arising out of slow connectivity/link failure will continue. 

It is evident that presently, we are very much serious on the recommendations of the report of the Task Force and fighting heart and soul to save India Post from privatization/corporatization. But, at this juncture, it is felt that India Post has been half-privatized since some outside agencies who are being paid by us to provide necessary services have already started to rule us. If something tangible is not done on priority basis, then we may not be able to save our members and the goodwill of this glorious department as well. If our service delivery goes deteriorated, a day may   come when the common citizens of India will definitely support the present Govt. to privatize /  corporatize India Post through implementation of the recommendations of the report of the Task Force. 

You are requested to take up the issue with every seriousness and promptness. 

Awaiting a response at the earliest. 

Comradely yours,

B Samal
Divisional Secretary
Copy for information and immediate necessary action to:

1.     The General Secretary, AIPEU, Gr.-C, CHQ, Dada Ghosh Bhawan, New Delhi – 110 008

2     The Secretary General, N F P E, North Avenue P O Building, New Delhi – 110 001

1 comment:

  1. This letter reflects the true picture of the CBS offices. Great drafting.

    ReplyDelete