Cellphones knock it out but telegram still in the ring

Officials at CTO say that 10 years back they had close to 2,000 to 3,000 telegram bookings a day and the monthly revenues were high. “Now we get around 150-200 bookings a day here. But that doesn’t really mean the government is going to shut it down. It is a services industry,more importantly something that is for the people. It has never been a profit or loss endeavour. So it will be always around,” says J Sonawane,sub-divisional engineer,Customer Service Centre CTO.

The rates have gone up. “The first 30 words cost Rs 28 and one rupee per word is charged thereafter. Telegrams are these days used by business houses and individual businessmen. A few are still used by people to send urgent messages or congratulatory telegrams. The combined holiday pack of sending telegrams on August 15,January 26 and October 2 is popular even now,” he says.

The Ganesh festival has seen an almost 20 per cent increase in telegram bookings. Another reason why the sector still functions is because government agencies,both central and state government make use of them on a regular basis,says Sonawane. “Banks make use of telegrams to inform debtors about loans. It is the only proof that can be accepted in a court of law. Also central and state government agencies too use them for the same reason,” he says.

The telex and telegraph machines are redundant these days and telgrams are sent through a computerised process. They are typed on a software and uploaded to the CTO nearest to the receiver post office. They are sorted and delivered to the post offices. “If it is an urgent telegram it is sent accordingly although express telegram has,as of now,been discontinued,” he says.

Telegrams generate a revenue of around 3 lakh per month in Pune district. “Of course revenues have decreased. It is nothing compared to the money we made ten years back but it is still going strong. A loose comparison can be made with newspapers. They won’t go out of service. There is no rise in revenue but as I have mentioned it has never been anything more than a service industry and hence the government will not shut it down,” he says.