New Delhi: India Post will launch its new premium service, ‘24 Speed Post,’ today, aiming to provide faster and more reliable delivery for urgent consignments.
The service will be inaugurated by Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Union Minister of Communications, and Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, Minister of State for Communications, at Rangbhawan Auditorium in Akashwani Bhawan, New Delhi, at 12:30 PM. Senior officials of the Department of Posts will also be present during the launch event.
New Premium Delivery Services
Along with 24 Speed Post, the government is introducing two additional premium services—48 Speed Post and 24 Speed Post Parcel- to improve delivery timelines for both documents and parcels. These services are part of a broader effort to modernise the postal system and strengthen the competitiveness of India Post against private courier and logistics companies.
Initial Rollout in Six Major Cities
In the first phase, the services will operate across six major cities: New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. According to the notification issued under the Post Office Regulations, 2024, the services will later be expanded to additional cities in subsequent phases.
Guaranteed Delivery Timelines
The newly introduced services focus on time-bound delivery:
- 24 Speed Post: Guarantees next-day delivery of documents in the destination city.
- 48 Speed Post: Ensures delivery of documents within two working days.
- 24 Speed Post Parcel: Offers next-day delivery of parcels, primarily transported by air. If surface transport proves faster on certain routes, road transport may be used.
Dedicated processing windows and priority air transmission will help maintain these timelines.
Weight Limits and Pricing
The parcel service will be available for shipments weighing up to 5 kilograms. Charges will be calculated based on whichever is higher between volumetric weight and gross weight. The services will be accessible to both retail customers and corporate clients who have agreements with the postal department.
Additional Features for Customers
The new services will include several customer-focused features such as OTP-based secure delivery, end-to-end tracking with SMS alerts, proof of delivery, home or office pick-up for bulk bookings, insurance options, API integration for business users, and centralised billing. A “buy now, pay later” facility will also be available for business customers.
The registration fee for each item will be Rs. 5, with GST charged separately. India Post will also provide a money-back guarantee if deliveries fail to meet the promised timelines.
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