From delivering mails to COVID-19 kits, India Post turns lifesaver in testing times

Kolkata, Apr 17 () India Post has changed itspriorities in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Boasting the largest postal network in the world withmore than 1.56 lakh post offices, of which1.41 lakh are inrural areas, the robust India Post has become a lifesaver,working round theclock, delivering COVID-19 testing kits,ventilators, masks and medicines to far-flungplaces.

The red mail vans, which are used for deliveringparcels within the city limits, have now become the mode oftransport to faraway locations during the nationwide lockdown,with no trains and flights in operation.

Last weekend, a COVID-19 kit consignment packed in dryice arrived from Delhi for delivery to hospitals in Ranchi.

"The next day was Sunday and we could not afford tohave waited till Monday. Our challenge was to rush, so we madearrangements with postal circle of Jharkhand and it wasdelivered to the hospitals by midnight," Chief Post MasterGeneral of West Bengal Circle, Gautam Bhattacharya, told .

"The other day, 650 kg of medicines and PPEs came fromthe national capital to the Kolkata sorting hub by a cargoflight. There were 25 cartons and we ensured delivery bymidnight," he said.

There are more than 50 red mail vans in operation fromthe Kolkata hub that transports PPEs to districts and otherareas of the West Bengal circle.

Mobilising the staff, who mostly come from suburbs andsubsequent coordination, means that Bhattacharya, whose circlealso includes Sikkim and Andaman & Nicobar islands, is havingsleepless nights.

"This is an all new challenge for us. A lot ofmovements are taking place of COVID-19 related items. The bigchallenge is about making the logistic arrangements."

It also means extra responsibility for those engagedin the delivery process, such as the drivers, who venture outto faraway places, and that too, at odd hours.

"We are operating with reduced staff of about 60 percent as the small post offices are closed. We bring theparcels to head post offices... We have now become a transportsystem with no railway and airway service. This is anemergency situation and we are up for it," Bhattacharya added.

He cited the example of a post master from Debagramsub-post office in Nadia district, Sanjit Halder, who cycledmore than 150 km, all the way from Garia here, to reach hiswork place.

It was any other weekend and Halder had retruned tohis home in Garia, knowing little about the imminent JanataCurfew and the nationwide lockdown that followed in thesubsequent weeks.

He kept his work commitment and took his daughter's'Kanya Shree' (state government-gifted) bicycle and startedoff at the break of dawn.

Halder was in office by 9 pm, ready to serve more than300 pensioners and monthly-income-scheme holders.

"Most of our clients are illiterate and poor, and wework like a close-knit family. I cannot afford to sit at home.I had contacted a taxi, but the driver demanded a hefty Rs6,000. So, I decided to take my daughter's bicycle," Haldersaid in an interaction with .

The 48-year-old took small breaks thrice on the way tokeep himself hydrated amid scorching heat.

"First, I had some biscuits, then I stopped forsugarcane juice and finally at a sweet stall, I had curd."

By the time he reached Krishnanagar, it was pitch-darkand there was a jungle ahead. Luckily, the local police cameto his rescue and took him in their van.

"For me, it was like a small service to Mother India,"said Halder, who has been at the Debagram sub-post office eversince the lockdown came into force.

The Kolkata circle of India Post has also made door-to-door distribution of pensions to the super senior citizensduring the ongoing lockdown.

There are about 60,000 pensioners in the circle ofwhich nearly 30 per cent are in their 80s.

"We prepared a list and the respective branch postoffices contacted them to facilitate the pensions,"Bhattacharya said.

India Post is also open to regular mail service,although the priority now has changed, he said."We were never closed and most of the post offices areopen. One can come and book general items. But, we receivethem with a disclaimer -- 'the service could be delayed', aswe are dependent on cargo flights now. The traffic is less formail and e-commerce articles, and people are not turning upinlarge numbers," Bhattacharya said. TAPRBT RBT