Real time flow of information from Postman Mobile App (PMA) to DPMS module of CSI in respect of articles delivered or having non-delivery remarks - reg.
No: 30-05/2021-D Government of India Ministry of Communications Department of Posts Mail Operations Division Dak Bhawan, New Delhi- 110 001 Dated: 09.11.2021
This is regarding real time flow of information from Postman Mobile App (PMA) to DPMS module of CSI in respect of articles delivered or having non-delivery remarks.
2. Real-time sharing of the delivery or non-delivery remarks captured through PMA with the addressees/senders has been one of the major demands of the e-commerce partners. The facility is already being provided by other courier companies in the country. The issue has also been flagged by both the Volunteers groups, formed as per the directions of Hon'ble MOC to identify challenges and opportunities for Parcel Operation & Business.
3. Presently, delivery or non-delivery remarks captured in the PMA are visible on the India Post's Track & Trace on real time basis. It has been decided to modify this functionality in the PMA so that delivery or non-delivery remarks are shared with addressees/senders through SMS on a real time basis.
4. Final delivery confirmation will, however, continue to be reflected in the Track & Trace of India Post after the Mail Clerk takes the return from Postman in the DPMS.
5. It is pertinent to mention the present Rules relating to acceptance of Postman return by the Mail Clerk as detailed in Rule 183 of the Postal Volume VI (Part I):
"183. Receipts, acknowledgements and undelivered articles taken from Postmen.—((1) The receipts (Form R.P.-31) and (Form R.P.-54 or R.P.-54 (a)} for the registered articles delivered, the undelivered registered articles with their receipts and acknowledgments (if any) and the undelivered unregistered parcels with receipts in Form R.P.-1 in respect of parcels on which redirection fee has been charged, must be taken by the registration or parcel clerk, as the case may be, from the postmen immediately on their return to the office. In the case of a registered article delivered to an illiterate addressee, the clerk concerned should examine its receipt to see that it bears the postman's signature in attestation of the addressee's seal or mark.
(2) The clerk concerned should also see that the postman's No. and the cause of non-delivery with the date are noted on each article returned. Before placing any such article in deposit as un-claimed, he should satisfy himself that it is really undeliverable. If he is not so satisfied, he should send out the article again by some other postman or the head postman and if delivery is then effected, the matter should be brought to the notice of the postmaster.”
6. During the monitoring of PMA, it has been observed that in many cases, delivery of the articles are being updated by the delivery staff from the Post Office premises though the articles are delivered to the addressee much later in the day. In some instances, articles are not even delivered on the day of invoice and are being delivered to the addressee on subsequent days which is a highly irregular practice.
6.1 It is, further, observed that PMA is not being used properly and delivery/non-delivery remarks are not captured at the doorsteps of the addressees. At present, irregularities in performing delivery/non-delivery scan by delivery staff is not generating any complaint from the customers, as the SMS is not triggered to the customers at the time of scan events through PMA. Scan event i.e. delivery/non-delivery status is only captured in Track & Trace report, as explained above.
7. Circles are requested to take necessary steps to sensitize the delivery staff about the implication of real time flow of information from PMA to DPMS module of CSI. Incorrect updation of delivery or wrong non-delivery remarks may cause large number of complaints from the customers due to real time receipt of SMS by the customers based on delivery/non-delivery remarks captured in the PMA. It is, therefore, extremely important that delivery staff capture the delivery scan or non-delivery remarks at the doorstep of addressees.
8. The modified functionality in the PMA of sending real time delivery update to the addressees/senders will be implemented w.e.f. 1st December, 2021.
