Post offices in the city are abuzz with activity as an increasing number of people are giving digital a pass for the more personal this season – a handwritten letter accompanying a rakhi .
The weeks preceding Raksha Bhandan has seen a rise in footfall at post offices across the city, mainly those communities with families in other parts of the country.
Around 10,000 ordinary posts and 5,000 registered as well as speed posts are being handled daily at the General Post Office alone. “My 10-year-old daughter has written a letter to her 28-year-old cousin in Vadodra with rakhi . For five years, we have been sending rakhis through mail,” said Venkat Rao, who was with his family at Sainikpuri Post Office on Saturday.
The coming of mobile communications weaned patronage from postal services, but occasions like Raksha Bhandan and New Year serve as evidence for the charm of the personal, say officials and users of postal services.
“We have been serving around 150 people who avail registered and speed post to send rakhis across India. Having a brother or cousin abroad is not a deterrent anymore as the cost of service is affordable,” said Vishal Souda, in-charge of the Sainikpuri Post Office.
Given the crowds at post offices, many attempting to negotiate serpentine queues for registered or speed post are opting to avail the free postal service.
“I did not anticipate a crowd at the post office. I came here to send rakhis to all my cousins across the country. The assuredness of timely delivery through the free service is a main draw for me to opt for it,” said Soumya J., who dropped the mails into a post box to avoid the rush.
