Dr. Farooq inaugurates Night Post Office Services at Srinagar GPO

SRINAGAR: Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy, Dr. Farooq Abdullah inaugurated Night Post Office services in Srinagar General Post Office at an impressive function here today.
The initiative was a part of transformation to provide customer friendly and modern services to the people.
Lauding the role of Chief Postmaster General J&K Circle, Mr. John Samuel for taking many innovative initiatives aimed to improve the postal services in the State, Dr. Abdullah said that the postal services in Kashmir has gone for a major transformation recently. He said the Post Office has been playing a key role in the development of Jammu and Kashmir and has strengthened its bonds with the common masses by adopting the latest technology in its operations. The Post Offices have proven its utility in the era of competition and Night Post Office facility at Srinagar GPO will go a long way to benefit the people of Kashmir, he added.
The Union Minister advised that Post Office should use Solar Panels for energy requirements.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Postmaster General, Mr. John Samuel announced that the business hours of Srinagar GPO have been extended up to 8 p.m. on week days from September 1st, 2012, adding that the initiative has been taken to provide better services to the people. He said, in addition, the Post Office will also function on all Sundays and Holidays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Post-Office has also started provision of ‘Post Shop’, Saffron Post and e-Post Services in customer friendly manner.
Giving brief history of General Post-Office, Srinagar, Mr. Samual said the Imperial Post Office was elevated to General Post Office on April 1, 1964 following the establishment of a separate Jammu and Kashmir Postal Circle. The foundation stone of existing structure of Srinagar GPO was laid by, the then Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir State Mr. Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah on September 25, 1980 and thus came the Srinagar GPO building in a ”Modern Classical” form at the intersection of Residency Road and Sher-i-Kashmir Park adjacent to ‘The Bund’ Srinagar.
The CPMG said that Srinagar GPO provides a large range of Postal Services including Letter Post, Parcel Post, Speed Post, Express Parcel Post, Money Orders, Business Post, e-Post, Retail Post, Western Union Money Transfer, India Post Gold Coin Service, Telephone Services, Post Shop Services etc. To provide modern services Srinagar GPO is fully computerized.
Referring to new service of Night Post Office, Mr. Samual said that the customers can book their Speed Post and Registered Post consignments up to 8 p.m. and this will provide convenience to them. He announced that a ‘Special Postal Cover’ will also be issued soon on “Clean Srinagar, Green Srinagar” in association with Srinagar Municipal Corporation
Dr. Farooq presented the Best Postmen Awards to 14 postmen as a part of motivation of the staff members. He also handed overgold coins to the Postmasters of Srinagar GPO, Jawahar Nagar PO, Gandhinagar HO, Jammu Tawi HO, Udhampur HO, Kathua HO & Janipur SO for their best performance in India Post Gold Coin Service. .
Commissioner, SMC Mr. G.N.Qasba extolled the efforts of Mr. John Samuel for introduction of Floating Post Office, issue of Special Covers on tourist destinations, Philately Exhibitions and Modernisation of Post Offices in Srinagar which have brought a new life to Postal Services.
Director Finance J&K Postal Circle Mr. Amit Sharma presented welcome address, while as SSPO’s Srinagar Mr. N. D. Prajapati, presented vote of thanks on the occasion.
Among others, senior officers State and Central government department, staff members and a large number of customers were present on the occasion. (KMW News)