CHENNAI: Walking stick in hand, 74-year-old J Dorairaj hobbles three kilometres through traffic, dust and heat before he reaches the narrow corridor. At the end of this corridor is a room that is of great importance to his domestic life. At least twice a week, he visits the Sub Post Office near the Valasarawakkam Panchayat office, and is extremely unappreciative of the fact the India Post intends to shut it down.“I come here to operate my SB account, my pension account and my monthly investment scheme account. If they close this one, then I have to go at least three more kilometres to reach another post office,” says Dorairaj, holding a stack of new post cards he has just bought at the Sub Post Office. “We are not like you younger lot. We still keep in touch with our friends through these,” he says, waving the cards in this reporter’s face.Dorairaj’s Sub Post Office does not handle post or deliveries, but provides all the other services apart from functioning as a collection point for electricity and telephone bills. India Post proposes to it shut down, as part of a drive to streamline the system.But the proposal recommended by a foreign consultant, has met with strong opposition from locals. In the case of the Valasarawakkam Sub Post Office, local resident protests got the closing deferred, with the support of local CPI (M) MLA G Beem Rao. “This locality has grown leaps and bounds in the past few years. All major banks have set up branches, and major departmental and textile chains have opened stores. What we need now is not the closing of the Sub Post Office, but its expansion,” says 70-year-old M Arthanari.In total, 10 of such postal establishments have been closed so far — Rangarajapuram, Butt Road, West Saidapet, North Saidapet, Nanganallur South, Thiruvanmiyur North, Tharamani, CLRI, DoTE and OTA.Unions representing postal workers also claim the closure of units makes it more difficult to ensure timely and correct delivery of mail, as postmen have to travel greater distances in a short period of time. They have announced an indefinite, nation-wide strike from July 5 against India Posts’ closure policy.Speaking to City Express over the phone, 42-year-old S Varalakshmi, a school teacher, expressed hope that the fast would also result in the reopening of the Rangarajapuram Sub Post Office, close to her house. “It used to be so convenient. In a way, I am glad Post Offices are still of relevance to us. It is time the authorities wake up to this, instead of acting on suggestions made by a foreign consultant,” she said.
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