The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Adding colour to the postman

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Saturday, Sep 25, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Others

Adding colour to the postman

By S. Harpal Singh

ADILABAD, SEPT. 24. The 150-year-old Indian Postal Department is expected to do a `Phoenix'. The impending change in the colour of the postman's uniform from khaki to blue from October 1 is being considered an effort to give the service a new look.

At the lowest rung of the hierarchy in the Postal Department, the postman actually symbolised the service. So any change like the colour of the postman's uniform is going to attract attention.

Though records pertaining to the starting of postal services in Adilabad district are obliterated, it can be guessed that the service started during the Nizam's rule and underwent changes on the British model after Independence.

In 1973 Adilabad was made into a separate postal division after getting delinked from the Karimnagar division. At present there are two head post offices, 63 sub offices and 452 branch offices, in the six divisions.

The total staff employed by the department in the district is 452, which comprises only 84 regular postmen and a whopping 244 extra department delivery agents (EDDAs).

A matter of prestige

In the heydays of the department, it was a matter of prestige to get employment in Indian Postal Service. It meant different things to different employees.

Observed Bhagwandas, district secretary of the Postal Employees Union, "Though our salary was meagre initially, we took satisfaction in the fact that we were away from corruption."

In the days when the Postal Department monopolised mail service, the postman became either the whipping boy or endeared himself to people depending upon the quality of service. Those who got delayed mail made the postman a target of their anger and those for whom he brought good news loved him.

Difficulties

The communication revolution brought with it some difficulties for the postman. Due to its increasing financial unviability, the Indian Postal Department has stopped recruitments. Since 1980, there have been no recruitments in the Adilabd unit.

"New colonies are being added every day even in smaller towns. Due to increase in the service area of individual postmen, we are facing considerable stress," pointed out a postman. The department has been managing the show by employing part-timers called EDDAs. "It is actually these EDDAs who are keeping the department alive," the postman added

Different services

To keep itself financially in the reckoning, the department has started adopting different kinds of services. The small savings and insurance activities are doing tremendously good.

"Having already deviated from its original activity, it is only a matter of time before the department either winds up or merges into the insurance sector," lamented another postman.

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