India Post expands speed post network, plans retail modernisation

India Post is working to expand its express mail and modernise post offices across the country, the government said today. The improvements are to be funded by a proposed INR 120bn ($USD 2.4bn) Five Year Plan, which includes projects to expand and upgrade the post office network, set up more automated mail processing centres, establish new parcel and logistics hubs, develop rural Internet access, expand financial service provision and improve training provision.

The government’s Ministry of Communications and IT said today that a network of sorting hubs has now been set up for express mail.

These Speed Post Centres have been established in cities and towns with air, rail and road access.

No new Speed Post sorting hubs will be opened now for another two years.

The government’s Department of Posts has also set up a new Customer Care Centre to resolve complaints and notify India Post of systemic defects that come to light.

In 2011, India Post received 148,381 complaints about its speed post services, 67,420 for late deliveries and 80,961 for non-deliveries.

Post offices

Meanwhile, ministers have started a project dubbed “Project Arrow” that will upgrade 500 post offices in urban and rural areas to provide a better “look and feel” for retail branches, and improve the quality of traditional postal services.

The modernisation project will see INR 18.7bn ($371m USD) invested in improving the retail network, said communications minister Shri Sachin Pilot today.

“The project aims at creating a conducive and friendly work environment for both the staff and the customers visiting the post offices, providing connectivity, and improving the service quality levels in the core business areas,” said the communications ministry.

The government has also approved plans to modernise IT equipment in all post offices, it said, in a INR 840m ($16.6m USD) project, following on from last year’s INR 904m ($17.8m USD) investment in computerising post offices in India.

“The modernisation project of the Department of Posts includes computerisation of all the non-computerised post offices in the country including supply of rural ICT hardware devices and peripherals in branch post offices in rural areas,” said the government today.

The modernisation project is the subject of eight contract procurement processes that are currently underway.

The project is expected to be completed by 2014, the government said.