BSNL: Stop telegram service. Stop. It’s old. Stop.
The venerable telegram service has been rendered redundant due to technology. Smart phones, email and SMS have taken over and so BSNL has decided to bring the curtains down on the 160-year-old telegraph service from July 15. Telegrams for overseas communication were discontinued two months ago.
In May 2011, faced with no profit from the telegraph service, the government had revised telegram charges after a gap of six decades. Telegram charges for inland services were hiked to `27.50 from `3.50 to `4.50 earlier. According to a circular issued by Shameem Akhtar, senior GM (telegraph services), Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd, the telegraph service is to be discontinued with effect from July 15, 2013.
The circular has also directed telecom offices to maintain log books, service messages and delivery slips only for six months from the date of bookings.
However, complaints, press reports and other messages from different consumer forums are to be kept for a year.
BSNL sources said here, “We had asked the government to support the service as it was not commercially viable and the government said the BSNL board should decide. We have taken a decision to close the service after consultation with the Department of Posts. They also said there are better options available.”
Mobile services, landline telephony and broadband services would absorb the surplus manpower available in the telegraph sector within the next three months. National Federation of Telecom Employees state president R. Pattabhirama said, “Before taking such a decision, the PSU should have consulted trade unions on the issue of deployment of the so-called surplus employees.”
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