Indian Postal Department

by S M Khurshid Anwar

March 4, 2006

After posting an article earlier this year about "Infrastructural Improvement of Bihar", I wanted to write something but could not decide on any subject. When I read a news story that Govt. is considering banning Private Courier service, I chose to write solely on this topic today.

It was sad to read that the Indian Govt and our National Postal Dept. are considering, with the help of some political Party, to impose a total ban on Private Couriers and Postal Services. When the world is thinking of bringing more services into the private sector, our lazy and dull Govt is considering more state restrictions. Restrictions and state ownership bring more bureaucracy and stop any competition and innovation. Instead of learning from the past and the examples of other countries, we want to go back to the dark ages. On the one hand, we are planning to explore the Moon, Mars and Pluto, while on the other hand, we want to dig a cave in the mountain to hibernate like bears.

The first time I heard "snail mail", I could not understand what this was. I simply offered, "I did not know we ever had a snail carrying mail." The enlightening reply came, "The Government-employed Post Service is called snail mail because it takes a longer time to reach its destination." Every day, I hear we will leave the United States behind in development and IT. This must be the right way to leave the US behind.

The US has a federal branch called the US Postal Service (USPS), but let me tell you a couple of things about US Postal Service. First of all, it does not need a thousand employees to do a thousand different different tasks. One employee is trained to handle many different tasks: money orders, registry, checking mail, stamps, posting packages, you name it. Our Indian counterparts don't do multiple jobs, while at the same time, every table and desk has a different employee who will never move, no matter if you die at the Post Office. My mail is never lost here. I do not have to tell them that I moved to this town and live in this place, please deliver my mail. They have to check my address and my mail is at my door everyday.

When I send mail back to my parents, the majority of it never reaches them. I sent a package and after 4 years, it never reached its destination! I sent greeting cards for New Year, and after 3 months, I have no idea where they got lost, but I do know my parents and sisters have not seen them.

I have seen Postal Employees in my town in India, ripping others' stamps for their personal use and also "recycling" used stamps for their own purpose. (Peel the used stamps, put seal over it as he is already working there, and no one can say anything). People wait in line for their Money Orders, stamps, envelopes or Postal Order, etc., only to be confronted by the rude behavior of postal clerks. This just adds to the irritation. Failed delivery, by mistaken location, or some mystery resulting in a letter's disappearance, or even ending up in the dustbin is merely routine.

The Indian Postal Office is in the worst shape. It is most visible with its Red buildings and letter boxes. We all know red is a sign of danger, and it clearly declares, "Please do not come near me, otherwise I will hurt you!" When we choose to go anyway, to get some service, we were cheated in many ways. Either we do not get the service we deserve, we were overcharged for what was provided and often the articles are not even delivered. I am thinking of an old Hindi movie song, "Main Tere Ishq Mein Mar Na Jaoon Kahin". I think our beloved politicians' love affair with the Postal Department will surely kill this beautiful organization.

I will not be surprised if tomorrow, the Govt of India will consider banning email as it is very popular and it is also hurting the regular mail service. To paraphrase something from Ronald Reagan "If it is moving, tax it, if it keeps moving, regulate it and if it stops, then subsidize it."

I have done a bit of research about the Postal Department. I have found that Shershah was the first person to introduce a Postal Service during his regime. The earliest reference to an official postal system in India was made in the 14th century by Ibn Battutah. He recounted the organized, official service of mounted couriers and runners. During the 16th century under Mughal Emperor Akbar, with a network of 2,000 miles of post roads, the service was at its height. Due to political upheaval, the courier system was destroyed. The post was re-established in 1766 for officials, and it was made available for the public to use in 1774.

Dr. William O’Shaughnessy who pioneered the telegraph in 1851, under the auspices of the Public Works Department. In 1854, a separate department was opened when it was decided that the population could use the telegraph for private communications. Postal, telegraph and telephone services were all part of a single Posts and Telegraphs Department through 1984. It was in January 1985, that two separate Departments for posts and telecommunications emerged.

At the end I want to Thank all of you for reading; it is also true here at my end that I love being able to read all of your articles and comments daily. In these past couple of weeks, I have missed something!
 

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