Postal dept starts ‘tamper-proof’ parcel service

The Postal Department has started a new ‘tamper proof’ parcel service at Grand Post Office (GPO) Dehradun and in Haridwar, informed Chief Post Master General (CPMG), Uttarakhand circle, MS Ramanujam while addressing mediapersons on the occasion of World Postal Day on Tuesday. The Indian postal department is also observing National Postal Week between October 9 and October 15. In this week, several cultural and interactive programmes will be organised by GPO and regional post offices throughout the State.

Flaunting the newly started parcel service, the CPMG said that it was completely tamper proof as goods to be parcelled “would be packed with the help of modern machines in front of the customer and then Indian Postal’s seal would be put on the box”. The post office will charge separately for the packing which will vary according to the size of the carton. “This service is currently available in Dehradun and Haridwar but it will be shortly introduced in other business hubs like Almora, Haldwani, Nainital, Mussoorie etc,” said Ramanujam.

“But no prohibited thing will be carried in these parcels,” he said. However, the postal department does not have any safety equipments like metal detectors or scanners at its disposal to ensure that nothing “dangerous” is sent through these parcels.

Ramanujam highlighted achievements of the postal department in terms of providing a variety of services to the common people at the grass root level. “In 2011-12, post offices in Uttarakhand circle disbursed about Rs 42 crore under MNREGA. In this year this amount is Rs 15.50 crore till August 31,” he said.

On being asked why private courier services were snatching away business from the postal department, Ramanujam said, “I don’t think they are our rivals. Their business share is only marginal as compared to ours,” he said. But he added in the same breath that the presence of private courier service providers was “good” as it prompted them to “perform better”.

The CPMG also announced some interesting services in the pipeline like the instant picture postcard that one can get made instantly by giving one’s picture and can post the same to their near and dear ones.

Source :  http://www.dailypioneer.com