Wakad residents demand for a separate post office in the neighborhood
Akash Dhanurkar
Residents of Wakad have been raising the issue of asking for a separate post office in Wakad for the convenience of the senior citizens for their postal services work, postal investments work etc for the last few years. But even after continuously raising the demand the pleas have fallen on deaf ears complained the citizens of the area.
Considering the vast development of Wakad, residents face severe inconvenience to drive towards the nearest one which is located in Hinjawadi. They have to travel all the way to the Hinjewadi Post Office in order to send or receive couriers, letters and other parcels. The distance from Wakad to the post office in Hinjewadi is 10 kms. Although, there is a sub branch of the post office in Wakad which is operational for five hours, with a manpower of just 2 – 3 people the Residents alleged that it cannot take up the load sometimes.b
Senior Superintendent of Pune city East Division of India Post, Mukund Badwe when informed about the complaints raised by citizens, he said, “There is a sub post office in Wakad which operates till 5 pm.”
Vijay Agnihotri, a 67 year old senior citizen from Wakad, raised this issue with PCMC earlier. He told Pune Pulse, “I stay in Vrindavan A CHS Ltd, one of the oldest societies in Wakad. The pin-code of my area is 57, and so is the pin-code of Hinjewadi, even though the two areas are separated with a large distance. However, this causes enough problems when I have to send or receive the couriers.”
He further said, “Another main problem is that we don’t have a fully functional post office in our area. The post office which we have has a meager man power, and is hardly operational. So, we have to travel all the way to Hinjewadi Post office – a distance of 10 kms from Datta Mandir Road, which is inconvenient for senior citizens like me.”
Even today, in the rural parts of the state and the country, India Posts plays a major role in delivering couriers and letters at a cheaper cost. Wakad is developing at a decent pace, and has a fair percentage of senior citizen population, who have been highly vocal about any problem in the area.
Wakad does have small-scale area post office in front of Wakad Petrol Pump, which was initially a tax collection office. The area post office is functional for only five hours with only 2 people working.
Upon escalating the suggestion to Mukund Badwe, he said, “No citizens have come up to raise this issue. I totally agree with the fact that Wakad is hastily developing area, and absence of area post office can be inconvenience to many senior citizens, who are used to posting through India Posts. However, if this issue is raised at PCMC administration or corporator level, a vacant government premises can be allotted to the area post office. Even we can stress on developing the post office if the area leaders take the initiative.”
Upon talking to Sandip Kaspate, area corporator, he said, “The demand for an area post office has been approved, but the process on hold for alloting a permanent place. However, we have been trying to set up the office at corporation school near Kaspate Wasti. Once the authorities build two more floors of the school, we will be allotted either the ground or first floor.”
Pune Pulse has demanded the approval letter from the corporator to review the progress of the work.
Mamta Gaikwad, area corporator and former standing committee member, sounded contradictory to Sandip Kaspate. She said, “As per my understanding and awareness, the proposal hasn’t got any approval yet. We have demanded the relocation of Post office from Hinjewadi to Wakad, but we are hoping that we first get the approval.”
Upon speaking with another senior citizen from Wakad, Deepak Kokane, who was willing to make an investment in the posts, put off his plans as the area post office is very far from his location.
While talking with Pune Pulse, he said, “Post office guarantees 100 % return of investment, irrespective of any crisis, unlike the banks. The high importance of post office in an area like Wakad must be immediately considered when the government is trying to bring back the India Posts back to life.”
Tejaswini Domse, chairman, Pimpri Chinchwad Citizens Forum said, “We have a post office in our area but with limited services and meager man power. We need a fully functional post office in our area as we also have a lot of space in Wakad which can be used to make post office.”
