After a few years of waiting, residents of Anna Nagar West Extension now have a spacious post office. But for several residents in other areas, the wait continues for better facilities as the Department of Posts is struggling to either move to its own premises or find rented space.
Inaugurated recently, the new post office built at a cost of Rs. 80 lakh was earlier functioning out of a dingy, crammed space on the first floor of a rented structure. While customers welcome the move, they suggest that separate counters be allocated for different type of services. V.Rajagopal, a resident of Anna Nagar West Extension said, “The new post office is more conveniently located, but several services like issuing stamps and register post are managed by the same counter”.
Residents of fast-developing areas like Mogappair are still waiting for better post offices. The Mogappair post office is always crowded with space hardly enough for 10 customers in the small premises.
Though the Department of Posts has approved shifting of post offices, it is facing hardships in locating buildings in places such as Kilpauk, Palavakkam, Aminjikarai and Sowcarpet. Officials said there are over 550 post offices in Chennai City Region. Only 10 per cent of them function in own premises.
There are over 30 vacant sites belonging to the department that could be used to locate new post offices. But, the department is unable to develop its network owing to lack of funds. Land in prime areas such as Ekkaduthangal, Mogappair East, Kotturpuram, Koyambedu and Sembakkam are lying vacant.
Mervin Alexander, Postmaster General (CCR), said that as of now, post offices in Tidel Park and Pudupakkam have been merged. Soon, R.A.Puram post office will be merged with the one in Mandaveli. However, building the two-storey structure is getting delayed due to approval from other government agencies. “We are scouting for rented buildings for post offices in Chetpet, Palavakkam and Ram Nagar, Velachery,” he said.
