Missing telegrams? Try out E-post

The use of the service has soared over the past couple of months with over 57,000 e-posts received and delivered in Chennai city between April and June

The facility at Anna Road head post office — Photo: R. Ravindran

E-post, an online service of the department of posts, is slowly emerging as the successor to the withdrawn telegram.

The use of the service has soared over the past couple of months with over 57,000 e-posts received and delivered in the Chennai city region between April and June. During the same period last year, only 600 e-posts were delivered.

Messages are electronically generated and sent to the delivery post office. The print-outs of these posts are delivered by the postman. Each message costs Rs. 10.

Currently, the service is popular among those sending birthday greeting messages to political leaders and actors. Corporates and insurance companies too make use of it to reach out to people about their services. Legal communication and letters reminding customers of vehicle insurance are also being sent this way.

Akash, a customer at Anna Road HPO, said that he opted to send messages through the online facility as it reached the recipient almost on the same day.

Those who used to send telegrams too prefer e-posts, said officials. “Several people who used campaign telegrams now use the e-post. The Corporation is sending letters pertaining to property tax through e-posts,” said an official.

Mervin Alexander, Postmaster General, Chennai City Region, said the service had been available in all computerised offices for five years. Customers can also register at chennaipost.gov.in. He attributed its rising popularity to the fact that the recipient gets a hard copy of the communication. In the last fiscal year, 11.8 lakh e-posts were booked to the tune of Rs. 63.7 lakh in the Chennai city region.