India Post aids fast delivery of test kits

NEWDELHI:ON Wednesday, stateowned India Post got an urgent request. A Covid-19 automated testing machine on its way to Pune was stranded in Chennai.

Confronted with logistical issues like lack of train services and commercial flights following the 21-day lockdown, the postal service had to be innovative. It turned to the express delivery service Blue Dart, which has its own cargo aircraft, to ferry the package.the flight took off from Chennai at 10:30 pm; the package reached Sassoon General Hospital in Pune 12 hours later via Mumbai.

“We were supposed to deliver the machine on Tuesday,” said Vishnu Raja, owner of Techbio Solutions that supplied the machine. “We reached out to many providers after the lockdown, but it was only thanks to India Post that we could manage the delivery.”

Postal services, classified under the Essential Services Maintenance Act, have remained functional despite the lockdown although it has been hamstrung by the lack of transport services amid shutdown.

With 1,55,531 post offices, India Post is the largest postal network across the world. “We are concentrating on essential commodities,” director general (post) Arundhaty Ghosh said. “We are facing problems due to railways and passenger flights being curtailed, but our arrangement with Blue Dart helped us streamline the process to deliver the Covid-19 testing machine.”

Postmaster general (Mumbai) Swati Pandey said the Mumbai unit of India Post is also aiming to deliver old-age pensions at the doorstep.

A similar approach is being taken in Uttar Pradesh.

The priority is keeping India Post Payment Bank (IPPB) functional.