After the Centre decided to draw curtains on the Railway Mail Service (RMS), Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote to Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia urging him to continue the services, as several people in the state are dependent on it.
In an operational revamp, the Centre is now planning to merge RMS offices with Speed Post processing hubs and to integrate Registered Post services with Speed Post services. This means the practice of sending postal items by train would end, and the parcels would be transported only by road.
The Centre’s decision would lead to the shutting down of 312 RMS offices in the country. Twelve of those offices are located in Kerala.
In the letter, Vijayan expressed concern that the closure of 12 RMS offices would adversely affect the efficiency of the postal system in the state.
“RMS services have traditionally been relied on by a significant number of users in the state. It is apprehended that the closing down of RMS offices will adversely impact the efficiency of the post system,” he said in the letter to Scindia.
Referring to the recommendations made by the Chief Postmaster General of Kerala, the Chief Minister said that six additional intra-circle hubs should be created in addition to the already existing four hubs, including Alappuzha, Thodupuzha, Tirur and Kasaragod.
“Considering the extensive network being served by RMS and its vital role in communication services in the state, I request your intervention to retain Shoranur, Vadakara, Aluva, Irinjalakuda, Thalassery and Kayamkulam as intra-circle hubs in the state in addition to the four already approved,” Vijayan said.