Long queues and delayed services frustrate senior citizens
PANAJI
Customers at the Panaji Head Post Office are facing delays and inconvenience after authorities abruptly reduced the number of service counters to just one, severely impacting registered and speed post operations.
The move has triggered frustration, particularly among senior citizens who still rely on traditional postal services.
“We’re being treated unfairly. This is the largest post office in Goa, yet we’re forced to wait in long queues,” said one disgruntled customer.
The Panaji facility, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Maharashtra Circle, receives scant attention from higher authorities. The lack of responsiveness has fueled perceptions of neglect and step-motherly treatment among regular users of postal services.
Senior officials declined to comment but internal sources revealed that the post office, as is the case nationwide, is undergoing a digital transition, shifting focus to financial and banking services amid declining demand for conventional mail. This shift has reportedly disrupted operations and led to delays in disbursing maturity amounts from postal savings schemes.
A staff member, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained that payouts require physical verification of original documents stored in the records room. “When the dealing hand leaves the counter for verification, the counter remains unattended, causing the delays,” the official sought to explain.
