Logistics post service begins

Tirupati: The Postal department has launched ‘logistics post service’ between Tirupati and Chennai, which was the first of its kind in Rayalaseema region. Postmaster General of Kurnool region T Srilatha flagged off the vehicle at Head Post Office here on Friday.

It is a bid towards improving the e-commerce by utilising the road networks. She said that the service was aimed at nodalised parcel delivery, which is basically for commercial purpose.

Through this, they can send the consignments received till 8 pm at their counters to major towns overnight and deliver them before 11 am there. If there were bulk orders, they can even deliver them at the consignee’s address by taking them in the same vehicle itself.

Hitherto, they were relying on the rail and air networks for parcel transmission and did not use road networks. Now, they want to exploit the road networks through which bright prospects for revenue generation were expected. She said, Kadapa will become a hub in the future, through which consignments can be easily sent to Chittoor, Anantapur, and Nellore districts easily well in time.

Also, a logistics hub at Yerpedu near Tirupati will be developed in due course after ascertaining the response for the logistics post service. She termed the service as cost effective and efficient. Though the present vehicle’s capacity is of one tonne as the business grows, it will be replaced by bigger vehicles.

The logistics post service will also be introduced in Anantapur and Kadapa on November 15. She expressed hope that it will be useful for business people for products transfer and for students to send documents etc. Srilatha also said that they will take care of awareness programmes as well. One marketing executive will be appointed in each sub division soon.

The department also wants to take care of the packing of the products also. They are going to launch ‘pack post’ facility under which the customers can take the product unpacked to the post office. They will pack that and send to the addressee. India Post payment banks will be inaugurated very soon at Chittoor and at Tirupati later.

The response for Passport Seva Kendras at Kadapa and Kurnool was exemplary and the initial 50 slots per day were now increased to 150. To encourage the habit of letter writing, the department will conduct a letter writing campaign at Sri Venkateswara University shortly.

To motivate students, they will also introduce attractive envelopes and matching papers. Tirupati Division Postal Superintendent G Srinivasa Murthy was also present.