Parcel Directorate Order No. 3/2022.
F. No.27-08/2021-PD.
Government of India.
Ministry of Communications.
Department of Posts
(Parcel Directorate)
Malcha Marg Post Office Complex Chanakyapuri, New Delhi-110021
Dated: 10th February, 2022
To
All Chief Postmasters General
Subject: - Parcel Packaging Policy 2022
Quality of packaging is a key element in safe and secure transmission of parcels. Safety and security of parcels have to be ensured at two levels i.e at the level of each unit of parcel booked and transmission of parcel from origin to destination. With the introduction of All-India Postal Road Transport Network, safe and secure transmission of parcels has been ensured by the Department to a large extent. Safety and security of individual parcels, however, needs to be ensured to boost the confidence of customers in booking, transmission and delivery system of India Post. It is in this context that a Parcel Packaging Policy has been formulated taking into account the packaging standards being followed in the Courier, Express and Parcel market.
2. There are three main aspects of Parcel Packaging Policy as detailed below:
I. External packaging (Box, flyers, Bi-axially Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) tape, stretch wrap plastic films & strapping rolls) Small parcels should be placed inside tamper-evident plastic flyers & non-tearable paper bags of different sizes duly sealed. Fragile items requiring reasonable level of protection in the process of handling should be placed inside corrugated boxes. Bi-axially Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) tapes are the packaging tape commonly used for securing & fastening medium and heavy-duty Parcel boxes. Stretch wrap plastic films & strapping rolls can be used for providing additional security during transport and storage. Specifications for plastic flyer bags & BOPP Tapes circulated vide this office letter no. 17-24/2019- PD dated 11.03.2020 have also been modified and subsumed in the revised Parcel Packaging Policy. (Detailed specifications are at SI. I of Annexure)
II. Internal packaging (loose fill like Bubble wrap, airbags, cardboard fillers) Bubble wrap, airbags & shredded carboard fillers are all commonly used as cost-effective & high-performance loose fill packing materials for keeping the consignments safe and secure during handling. The shock absorption properties of these materials provide a cushion to fragile items and prevent damage during transportation. (Detailed specifications are at SI. II of Annexure)
III. Self-Adhesive Special Handling Label:
Proper use of handling instruction labels helps in ensuring proper and careful handling during storage, transportation and delivery. The dimensions of the handling instruction labels should be of appropriate size considering the size of the consignment. (Detailed specifications are at SI. III of Annexure)
3. Discontinuation of the use of cloth material for Parcel Packaging:
(i) Presently, parcels wrapped in cloth packaging are accepted for booking and transmission by Post offices/ booking centres. It has been observed that pre-printed barcode labels do not adhere well to the cloth packaging during transmission. In view of this, a Gazette notification was issued on 28.03.2014 wherein following provision was inserted in IPO Rules, 1933 (5):
"A parcel wrapped with cloth should invariably either be packed in a carton or be covered with paper or plastic wrapper over the cloth wrapping so that the bar code sticker can be properly affixed on the parcel for track and trace purpose”
(ii) In view of the above, no Parcel should be accepted wrapped in cloth packaging with effect from 01.04.2022. Parcels having packaging of cloth material can, however, be accepted if packed in corrugated boxes or flyer bags as specified in the packaging policy.
(iii) Circles may launch a massive publicity drive specially at the counters of Parcel Booking Centres to make the customers aware of the use of corrugated boxes of specified standards for booking of parcels.
(iv) Since the corrugated boxes/flyer bags of specified standards will enable the Department in safe, secured and smooth handling of parcels, these may be made available to the customers at the counter at cost price.
4. Use of BOPP tapes at the retail booking counters
(i) All parcels booked at the post office counters must invariably be secured with BOPP tapes having a printed array of “India Post Parcel" logo as an added security measure. For this purpose, all booking counters must be supplied with BOPP tapes by the Circles as a part of the packaging material.
(ii) BOPP tapes may also be used to secure the packaging of parcels damaged during transit, before delivery to the customer.
(iii) Bulk and contractual customers may use tamper evident BOPP tapes with their company logos.
5. Setting up of Parcel Packaging Units (PPUs) for retail customers
(i) The primary objective of setting up of PPUs is to ensure that parcels are handled and transported in a safe and secured manner. Circles may therefore, consider setting up of Parcel Packaging Units (PPUs) in major post offices having substantial retail bookings of parcels.
(ii) A prominent location should be identified in these post offices for setting up of PPUs and required packaging materials and equipment viz. Roll stretch wrapping machine and Parcel strapping machine, should be made available in the PPUs so that retail parcels can be properly packed.
(iii) Scheme funds provided for parcels under activity "Infrastructure Upgrade for Speed Post etc." can be used for purchase of Parcel Packaging equipment.
(iv) Packaging of parcels provided at PPUs will be a charged service. Circles may fix the charges for providing packaging services taking into account the cost of the packing material and a reasonable service charge not exceeding Rs. 10/- per parcel.
6. Sensitizing the Private Packaging Vendors of the revised packaging standards
It is generally observed that many private vendors provide Parcel Packaging Services outside major post offices across the Country. These vendors mostly use cloth packaging material or low quality of corrugated boxes. Circles should make these vendors aware of the new Packaging Standards of the Department wherein packaging in cloth material is to be avoided and corrugated boxes and paper/ plastic flyers of prescribed specifications should be used for packaging.
7. Supply of packaging materials through Circle PSDs
(i) Material Management Division of the Postal Directorate will take up the matter with GeM to ensure that the Parcel Packaging materials as specified in the Annexure are available on GeM Portal, so that Circles can purchase the packaging materials as per their requirement through their respective Postal Store Depots.
(ii) Circles may ensure adequate supply of the packaging materials to post offices/parcel booking hubs/ NDCs as the case may be.
8. The sale of the packing materials may be booked under 'Retail Post- Packaging Material’.
9. All bulk customers should be advised to adopt the new packaging standards of India Post and it should be incorporated in the MoU/agreement signed with bulk and contractual customers for Speed Post Parcel & Business Parcel. The format of the agreement has already been circulated by Business Development & Marketing Directorate vide letter No. 10-23/2013-BD&MD dated 24.01.2017
10. Circles may ensure availability of packaging materials at post offices/booking centres well before 01.04.2022 and put up display boards outside the Post offices/ booking centres about availability of packaging materials.
This issues with the approval of Director General Postal Services.
