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Ludhiana’s post offices have temporarily suspended key services, including rakhi and parcel bookings via speed post and registered post, due to severe technical glitches. These issues arose during the installation of upgraded software, part of a nationwide initiative to modernize India Post’s digital platforms.
The timing of this disruption is particularly problematic as it occurs just before Raksha Bandhan, a festival that sees a notable increase in postal bookings. The head post office alone handles 150-200 domestic rakhi bookings daily during this period.
Postal officials are concerned that the stalled services will impact the timely delivery of rakhis and festive parcels, with Raksha Bandhan falling on August 9th. This has led some residents, like Ramandeep Kaur, to consider using private couriers instead.
Postal staff also anticipate a backlog of parcels once services resume on August 5th, creating a tight deadline for deliveries before the festival. While services are expected to technically restart on Monday morning, it may take a day or two for operations to fully normalize.
The software upgrade is scheduled to roll out nationwide on August 4th, with a planned shutdown on August 2nd and 3rd to facilitate a smooth transition. The shutdown was advanced to August 2nd and 3rd to allow more time for Rakhi deliveries.
Senior postmaster Balbir Singh acknowledged the disruption was necessary for the digital platform migration and assured that technical glitches have been reported. He also guaranteed that bookings will resume on Monday and that timely rakhi deliveries will be ensured.