Several India Post customers took to social media after the delivery failure of essential medicines ordered over the postal service. Following the nationwide lockdown, all post offices and mail service in the state were suspended despite it being an essential service. The services partially resumed earlier this week – however, officials say home delivery of mail by postmen/women are yet to resume.
“If there are specific issues, such as those who wish to get their medicines delivered to them, they can reach out to the post office and give their reference code,” the spokesperson for India Post in Telangana told TNM. “We will contact the customers who can visit the post office, or if we have their permission, we can do home delivery, provided they have a prescription,” he said.
“We have opened all post offices last week itself and are ensuring services to rural areas. Delivering mail also started last week,” the official added.
However, door-to-door delivery of mail is not yet fully functional. The post office will contact the addresses that have phone numbers mentioned in the mail package, asking them to collect the mail from their respective post offices. ”We are not sending out postmen and women to deliver the mail yet,” said the spokesperson.
Post lockdown, those who relied on the Speed Post service for delivery of medicines to their homes were unable to get their medicines delivered to them, and a few took to twitter to register their grievance.
Courier & Speed Post services are closed & locked down in Hyderabad.
— VISHAL MOHAN (@vishalmhn) April 2, 2020
I have to get medicines for personal medication.@cpmgtelangana isn't responding to tweets since 25th.
India Post Telangana said that in the first week of April, they had started Mobile Mails Service (MMS) vans that are providing basic postal and Savings Bank Services. The department has helped deliver 8,000 SSC and Intermediate Board Examination Parcels, and 28,217 mail bags across Telangana and other states.
Over 200 tons of medical equipment, drugs, masks, gloves, sanitisers to government hospitals have been delivered across Telangana Circle, informed the department.
Another India Post official said the department has received numerous requests since lockdown began to provide home delivery of essential medicines. “There are several senior citizens who under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) visit hospitals to collect medicines. India Post is very much capable of ensuring that these medicines can be home delivered. The senior officers are looking into the matter after a few Telugu media reported on the troubles faced by senior citizens,” he said.
On Thursday decision was made by India Post to ensure the delivery of Aasara pensions to homes of senior citizens in Telangana.