Floating post office in midst of Sangam

ALLAHABAD: Sending a letter of love, appreciation or good will from the spiritual spot of the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati is likely to become an easy task, as the postal department is all set to establish a floating post office near the Sangam, much to the convenience of devotees, who come from far and wide.

The sea of humanity in Allahabad during the 2013-Mahakumbh may pose a stiff challenge for the telecom operators and service providers, as the lines of communications may get choked due to excess overload. However, the same may not be the case with the floating post office.

And, if sources in the postal department are to be believed, then the department has already started the initial groundwork, which would help the devotees as well as the saints and seers to stay in touch with their near and dear ones during the mega event.

Speaking to TOI, director postal services, Allahabad region, Krishna Kumar Yadav, said, "The postal department has planned to appoint a gazetted Kumbh Mela officer (Group-B). During the last Mahakumbh held in 2001, the department had established 10 post offices in each sector, in addition to a central post office and four mobile such units. However, this year, we are planning to establish post offices in each of the 14 sectors." The total cost, added Yadav, to be incurred during the Mahakumbh by the department would be ranging from Rs 1.5 crore to 2 crore.

The department is also making provisions of having boats, which would take the letters directly from the devotees and subsequently dispatched to respective destinations, added Yadav.

When asked what are services, which the department is planning to offer to the devotees, saints and seers during Mahakumbh, Yadav, said, "The services offered by the department include registry, money order, parcel services, speed post, philately, saving accounts, and postal insurance among others."

The director further added that services like money order and parcel would help the state government generate revenue.

Courtesy : Times of India, 11 Sept. 2012

(The Picture shown above is only symbolic. It depicts Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, Minister for New and Renewable Energy,Farooq Abdullah and Union Minister of State for Communications and IT,Sachin Pilot enjoy a boat ride after inagurating Floating Post Office-cum -Museum at Dal Lake on 22 Aug. 2011)