Assam Launches Drone Service for Postal Delivery Between Branch Post Offices

Guwahati, August 12: The Union Minister for Communications and Northeast Development, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, announced the launch of a drone service by India Post for transporting mail bags between branch post offices in Assam. This marks the first drone flight for postal transport in the state, aimed at enhancing the speed and reliability of postal services in remote and difficult-to-reach areas.

Scindia shared the news on the social media platform X, stating that India Post, in collaboration with Sky Air Mobility, is initiating drone-based postal services across 40 routes in Assam. This network will cover a total of 150 routes in Assam and Himachal Pradesh, making mail transport faster, more reliable, and trackable, especially in regions that are hard to access.

He emphasized that in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of technology-driven public service, the postal department is adopting new technologies to ensure postal services reach every corner of the country. A similar initiative was launched on June 12 in Himachal Pradesh, where the first drone-based mail and parcel service was started between the Mandi head post office and the Rihar Dhar branch post office.

According to the postal department, this plan was developed based on suggestions from Jyotiraditya Scindia’s discussions with rural postal workers and staff, who highlighted the need for improved connectivity in remote areas. The department plans to roll out drone-based postal services on approximately 150 identified routes in Himachal Pradesh and Assam over the next two to three months. The Mandi-Rihar Dhar route will serve as the project’s first operational route.

The Rihar Dhar branch post office is located about 12 kilometers from the Mandi head post office. Traditionally, delivering mail there took over two hours, but with the introduction of the drone service, this time has been reduced to approximately seven minutes.

The postal department states that the drone service addresses transportation challenges in hilly and remote areas while also providing real-time tracking capabilities. Additionally, it serves as an environmentally friendly mode of transport.

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