Ganeshan
Port Blair, Sept 08: Even as India Post is considered one of the oldest and reliable institutions of the country, official apathy has left a key Post Office in Middle Andaman in ruins. The lone Post Office at Baratang Islands is plagued with broken roofs, crumbling walls putting the employees at grave risk. Even customers availing services from the Post Office have been facing countless hardships since long.
Andaman Sheekha Correspondent adds that the condition of the Post Office bears testimony of the indifference of the top officials of the Andaman and Nicobar Postal Services Circle.
“Though the Andaman and Nicobar Postal Service has a dedicated Construction Division, the failure of the Department in ensuring timely repairs and maintenance of the Baratang Post Office remains a mystery. The condition of the building is such that it can collapse any moment causing severe loss to the property and lives. Employees posted in the Post Office have been braving the condition for years now. Besides, timely renovation and maintenance is also imperative to secure officials documents in the Post Office. Broken roofs, crumbling walls are all common sight in the premise of the Post Office. Yet the top brass of the Postal Department continue to practice inertia,” said a source.
Speaking to Andaman Sheekha, the Incharge of Baratang Post Office informed that procedures are currently underway to shift the Post Office to a rented premise in Baratang. “The proposal to shift the Post Office from the crumbling building has already been sent to Kolkata Headquarters and the Post office will start functioning from a rented space soon.”
It is known to everyone that file movement in Government often takes several years and public hopes that before total collapse of the building the approval comes from Kolkata. Till then visitors of the Post Office and staffs are at great risk. Besides, public crucial government documents, which are only sent via Postal Department, are also at great risk of getting damaged or missing.
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