As senior citizens complain about long queues in post offices, Pune Postal Services promises priority service
To address the issue, the director of the Indian Postal Services (IPoS) in the Pune region has stated that they will take steps to give preference to senior citizens in the counter queues to expedite their services.
Many of them regularly visit post offices to avail of the Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS), collect their pension payments, and renew or withdraw deposits, among other services. Although most services are now available online, the lack of knowledge about handling electronic devices leads them to visit post offices.
'I have been a loyal customer of India Post for more than 5 decades. And the trust is still intact. As a teacher at Rayat Shikshan Sanstha, my job for the last four decades has been standing one. But now that I'm aged and suffering from arthritis and joint pains, I need assistance while walking and cannot stand for long. So my request is that if we are given tokens, we can sit and rest in the meanwhile, and this major issue with our elderly generation will be taken care of,' said Anjani Mangale, 78, a resident of Nigdi.
India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) offers a range of online services that are accessible through its mobile app and website. These include account management (balance checks and statements), fund transfers, bill payments, ATMs and money transfers. But its real potential is not realised due to server issues and the halt of some services.
'We haven't got the ATMs yet, through which we could've withdrawn cash easily through nearby ATMs. Also when we visit Post Offices, many times the servers are down, so the waiting time increases,' said Gitabai Vetal, 70, a resident of Wakad.
Acknowledging the issue, Abhijeet Bansode, Director, Postal Services, Pune region, said, 'We have post offices of different sizes, in some places, there's less waiting period while in others the footfall is more, so it is not usually possible to apply a one-size-fits-all approach. But directions are given to the superintendents of the respective regions that they visit every post office in their jurisdiction, check the waiting time and footfall.'
'Through this assessment, we can provide priority service to senior citizens or in some cases, may bypass long queues, while other necessary actions will be taken to provide a hassle-free experience to the customers. Also, an effort will be made to sensitise the staff,' Bansode added.
Responding to the delay in issuing ATM cards, Bansode said, 'It is a pan-India issue because the services of the current third-party vendor have been discontinued, while the process of onboarding a new partner is ongoing. However, the issue will be sorted soon.'
Shubham Kurale is an intern with The Indian Express.
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