“I am a kidney transplant patient from Hyderabad. I came to my hometown (W.G. Dist. A.P) last month and needed my medication urgently. I am thankful to the @IndiaPostOffice for their services during these crucial times of COVID-19,” tweeted Talasila Neelima on April 9. She is one among many people from Telugu States who feel that India Post has turned their life saver.
India Post Andhra Pradesh Circle has booked as many as 414 medicines from April 3 onwards. Prior to that, there was no ‘specific classification’ of parcels booked as medicines. But, the officials, of late, began tracking the parcels/bookings to see that the emergency medicine reached the destination on time.
India Post officials say that it was a message/ request written on a parcel booked from Bengaluru to a destination in Andhra Pradesh that virtually changed the parcel handling in the post offices. The customer wrote, ‘Contains emergency medicine…’ The staff on duty immediately separated the parcel and dispatched on priority basis bringing smiles on faces of customers.
Special arrangements
When contacted, Chief Post Master General (CPMG) Ram Bharosa says that special arrangements have been made by the Department of Posts for booking and delivery of important mails and bulk dispatch of medicines within the Andhra Pradesh State. The objective is to provide service to needy public and relief to the patients suffering from critical illness. In fact, the efforts of India Post won hearts of people, he says referring to the tweets on India Post.
A tweet by another customer, Srinivas Vasuki stands testimony to it. “@cpmgandhra sir, speed post article EN4187564621N containing emergency medicines delivered on April 11th 2020. THANKS TO INDIA POST AND YARA SRINIVAS GARU ON BEHALF OF MY FAMILY.”
Director (Postal Services, Head Quarters) Kakumanu Chandrasekhar says that a number of people and manufacturers have used the postal service since the beginning of lockdown. A manufacturer from Chennai enquired about the possibility of delivering medical equipment at Jangareddigudem. “He wanted us to deliver a consignment of ventilators. So far, India Post has delivered lots of PPE from Delhi to locations like Visakhapatnam,” he says.
With the lockdown extended till May, the CPMG says that India Post will play a larger role in days ahead. The postal service has unhindered access in the country as India Post is one of the few sectors which fall under essential services and is allowed to operate normally.
