Ghaziabad post offices are preparing dedicated assistance counters and additional booking capacity for residents sending Diwali parcels to family members and friends abroad, the postal department said. The counters will explain international parcel procedures, destination-country rules, charges, required documents and packaging requirements.
The facility is being planned at major post offices, including the head post office in Navyug Market and the City Post Office. Other post offices in the Ghaziabad postal division are also expected to provide assistance as demand rises around the festival.
The move is intended to reduce confusion during international parcel bookings, which involve requirements different from those for ordinary domestic mail. Customers may need to check whether the proposed contents are permitted in the destination country, submit the required documents and pay the applicable charges before the parcel can be booked.
Vishal Kumar Pathak, senior superintendent of post offices in the Ghaziabad division, said the number of people using Speed Post and parcel services increases as Diwali approaches. He said many residents also send parcels overseas during the festival and that the assistance counters would provide the necessary information so customers can complete the process more easily.
The counters will guide customers through the booking process and provide information on rules applicable to countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and other international destinations. Officials will also explain the documents required and how packages should be prepared before booking.
For first-time international senders, the facility is intended to bring multiple requirements together at one service point instead of requiring customers to move between different counters for information. The postal department’s stated aim is to help parcels reach their destinations on time, although the supplied announcement does not specify the number of counters, their operating hours or the exact additional staffing planned.
The division is also preparing additional counters at busier urban post offices to speed up parcel bookings during the festival period. The department said this would help manage higher footfall and reduce delays at locations handling a larger volume of international and domestic parcels.
Preparations are also under way at branch post offices in rural areas of the district. Officials and staff there are informing residents about parcel-related requirements ahead of Diwali so that customers can receive guidance before attempting to send packages overseas.
The postal department has not announced a fixed launch date for the assistance counters or provided destination-wise booking figures. The next operational step is the deployment of help counters and additional booking arrangements at high-pressure post offices before the Diwali parcel rush.
