Customers frequenting city post offices often complaining of inefficiency and work moving at a slow pace. The staff, on the other hand, blames it on the lack of infrastructure, especially slow computers and power cuts that have become a regular feature in the summer season.

To combat this problem, postal authorities of Ludhiana had demanded 57 new computers from the Punjab Circle Office last year. Ironically, of the 56 new computers that arrived at the post offices about two months ago, only 20 were installed, that too only three days ago, while the remaining are yet to be made functional.

According to sources, the demand for 57 computers was sent to the Chief Post Master General, Punjab circle, about a year ago, and 56 were approved.

“The new computers arrived here two months ago but only 20 have been installed at the head post office in Bharat Nagar. The remaining 36 are lying untouched,” said a source.

Senior Superintendent, Post Offices, Ludhiana, V K Raizada said: “As per the department’s instructions, we were asked to install the computers in the presence of a technician from the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited and one person from National Informatics Centre (NIC). We sent many reminders and request letters to the NIC to depute one of their employees, but we are yet to receive a response. We have no option but to keep the computers packed and wait.”

The SSPO added that work at the head post office was suffering due to age old computers. He added: “Last week, I asked the postmaster at the Bharat Nagar post office to get the computers installed in the presence of a BSNL employee only as I did not want work to suffer due to slow computers. So, we installed 20 computers without an NIC employee. However, the new computers are yet to be installed at other post offices. Of the remaining 36 computers, 12 are for the Speed Post centre at the railway station, ten at the Central post office in Bhadaur House, six at Model Town and eight at Millar Ganj post office.”

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