Logistics Post Service between Kovai and Chennai launched

The Logistics Post Service between Coimbatore and Chennai was launched by K V Sundar Rajan, Postmaster General, Western Region, Coimbatore, on Thursday. He also declared open the newly constructed Redfields post office.

Speaking at the launching function Sundar Rajan noted that the logistics post service is an absolutely new field to the Department of Posts and said that the service would cover Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode, Villupuram, Tindivanam, Chengalpattu and Chennai to begin with. Logistics post service would be extended to Salem also in due course, he added.

Goods produced by industries, textile spinning mills, knitted garment units and the like besides samples of goods could be sent from one place to the other through the logistics post service.

Initially, the department would operate four containerised vehicles each with a capacity of 5.5 tons. Plans are under consideration for increasing the number of vehicles and their capacity in due course, the PMG said. The tariff rates have been fixed after consulting the financial wing of the postal department, he added.

"Since, exporters from Tirupur evinced keen interest to transport their consignments to overseas markets through the Thoothukudi port, the department has been thinking of extending the logistics post service by linking Tirupur and Thoothukudi," said Sundar Rajan. Tenders for starting the service between Tirupur and Tuticorin have been floated, he added.

Explaining the features of the new service, Sundar Rajan said the minimum chargeable weight is 50 kgs and there is no upper limit. Value added services like pick up and delivery, loading and unloading, track and trace over phone are provided free of cost. The department has tied up with Orient Insurance company for providing insurance cover. Credit facility by ‘book now, pay later’ scheme is also available in addition to facilities like cash on delivery or ‘to pay’.

Drawing comparison with the courier service in the private sector, he said the postal department had the obligation to extend its services to rural and semi-urban areas while the former confined its operations to urban areas only.

"The government wanted the private sector also to flourish and this would help us in learning more from them," he said. The postal department is trying to become as dynamic as the private sector, he remarked.

Source: New Indian Express