India Post takes up Rs 7,000 crore investment project to utilize e-commerce based opportunity

SILIGURI: E mail, social networking or instant chats. All these Internet based services might have taken blood out of India Post while transforming communication in the country from paper based ‘Letters’ to electron based ‘Data.’ But E-Commerce, based upon the same internet is now going to pump in fresh blood to India post’s veins prompting it to go for Rs 7,000 crore worth connectivity augmentation project.

“The e-commerce battle is growing at fast pace throughout the country. And there lies our new opportunity,” says Mr. John Samuel, member of Postal Services Board. India Post is taking up a connectivity revamping project worth Rs 7000 Crore to utilize this opportunity.

“Wide and fast growing coverage of Internet through computer and mobile phones are bringing more and more people from even remote corners to the doorsteps of E Commerce sites. But delivery of the items is an issue where India Post excel’s with its 1.5 lakh establishments and time tested connectivity network,” he said.

E Commerce giant Alibaba in China or Amazon in US largely depend on their respective Postal Service. It’s true that the same can happen in India too. But, “We need to bring in some change in our own attitude at certain corners and modernize our connectivity, physical as well as electronic,” accepted Mr. Samuel.

India Post is now taking up a new-age IT project, at an approximate cost of Rs. 4909 crores. In addition, another Rs 2000 crore is being spent to add up vehicles to its nationwide fleet to ensure ‘delivery on time,’ a must for the E Commerce organizations.