BENGALURU: The Evening Post Office was declared open by Chief Postmaster General, Karnataka Postal Circle, S Rajendra Kumar on Monday evening. It is located inside Museum Road Sub-Post Office, a heritage building. The office offers Speed Post, Registered Post, money orders and parcel booking services, and as soon as it opened shop, people began booking services.
“A total of 12 articles were booked today. The Museum Road Post Office closes for public transactions by 3.30pm,” said postal assistant C S Vinay, manning the counter. Assistant Postmaster General, business development, V Tara said, “It will be a separate unit and will be open from 1pm to 9pm. It was only because of feedback from the public that we decided to launch it.”
The staffers are dressed in cream sleeveless jackets with an India Post logo. Among the customers at the new office was Sushil Mehra, vice-president of Karnataka Philatelic Society, who was booking a greeting card.
“This is very useful for us, particularly the working public. It is the first time in 75 years since Independence that a PO in the evening has been launched,” he said. Asked about the possibility of launching more such offices, the Chief Postmaster General said, “Let us see the response from the public before taking a decision. We are keen to draw the youth into post offices and hence, philately items will be available.”
An e-book titled Kodagu (Post Office and Disaster Management) penned jointly by former CPMG Charles Lobo and Kumar was launched. It is available for free reading on the postal website.
HERITAGE WALK
Earlier, the Circle, in partnership with Heritage Beku, conducted the first ever Postal Heritage Trail in the city. The three-hour walk, covering 4km, commenced at 3.15pm at Mail Motor Service on Millers Road. Around 50 walkers, comprising postal staff and heritage enthusiasts, took a look at the city’s oldest working post box at Taj West End (over 136 years), BeauLieu (CPMG Office), General Post Office, before winding up at the fascinating Sandesh Museum of Communication inside Museum Post Office building.