Indian postal nightmare
January 10th, 2004 | Published in Personal | 21 Comments
My sister called from the UK today saying she had received a packet I sent containing some photos, letters and documents in a really sorry state. I had sent it about a week ago by registered post from the Borivli post office. I was shocked when she said that from the state of the package, it was obvious that it had been opened and someone had actually rummaged through its content. The envelope had been torn out.
I used to hear about packages sent by Indian post suffering this fate, but I thought things would have improved by now. It’s perhaps no wonder that people prefer to send parcels by courier services, even at exorbitant costs. I can’t imagine what they thought they would find inside it. It’s not only shocking, it’s more disappointing that these incidents continue to happen. All I know is that the next time I need to send a parcel, I am definitely not using the Indian postal service.
January 11th, 2004 at 12:11 am (#)
Are you sure it is only Indian Post? It could.. if I can stretch it, be even MI6!
Post 911, we can never be sure!
January 11th, 2004 at 10:37 am (#)
Hi…Even I had a similar experience! But in my case, it was even more dramatic! I sent a shirt and what does the person on the other end receive? An old edition of Reader’s Digest! You can imagine my shock when the person called up and asked me whether my idea of a birthday present was a joke!
January 11th, 2004 at 4:37 pm (#)
Second that. Second a tracksuit from the UK to my bro, who’s in college in India. All he got was an empty parcel with stuffing in it !!
BTW is your Rediffmail adress broken ? Tried to send an email, but it bounced. Lemme know.
January 12th, 2004 at 12:06 pm (#)
Agree with Anand. it may well be UK counterpart of Indian Post responsible for that.
January 12th, 2004 at 11:59 pm (#)
Anand: I’m pretty sure it’s Indian Post! I think MI6 have different birds to kill ;) There was an instance when my parents had sent a sealed packet with a sweater, Assam tea, some knick knacks, letters to me when I was studying in Pune. Guess what? The package arrived sealed and intact. But without the tea and the sweater. And it was even sealed back after they had taken out what they wanted! And this is within India. M16? I think not!!
VJ: Now, that is shocking!
Suruj: I can believe that after my experience with the postal service now! My mailbox is always full. Have cleared it since… Or you can try anitabora at vsnl dot net
January 13th, 2004 at 6:36 pm (#)
I had a similar experience when my aunt tried to send me something from Ghy to Bangalore. The parcel was opened, rummaged and then one item was taken away and then it was stitched back and sent as if nothing happened… one show item was flicked.. it was so disappointing…
use the private companies, like Fed EX or something… its works out much better… I think !!
April 22nd, 2004 at 11:37 pm (#)
I had a very similar experience.I ordered a USB cable and sytlus for my handheld and what do I get??
A set of photos from France!!
If any of you has any info on how to tackle such a problem,please let me know..
July 28th, 2004 at 3:11 am (#)
As a B’day present, I had sent a dress from germany to my friend in Mumbai. All she got was the packet with the paper packaging. No dress inside. Somehow I can’t imagine a postal workers wife wearing them. My friend said there were some Indian customs clearence sticker etc. put on top. So who steals the stuff? the customs guys or the postal guys?
But you know what’s funny? — They deliver the empty packet!! I mean, after stealing the stuff why not throw the packet in the garbage can why deliver the empty packet?
Guess I’ll have to pay more and use Fed Ex next time.
March 4th, 2005 at 8:29 am (#)
Tell me about it! I bought RS 6700 of rare and hard to find texts and books on the Science of Ayurveda and Yoga and got nada! I didn’t even get stuffing! Ha. The store that I bought it from ensured me that they ship by sea all the time to Canada with no complaints. Why did I beleive them? I knew that RS 300 for the delivery of 20 or so texts was a good deal. I should have known. Fed/Ex $$ all the $$ way.
April 6th, 2005 at 4:09 am (#)
I had sent the Cable for camera from California to India. I enquired about the same in US Postal Service, but their track records says it has reached to India. But Its Indian side its not being delievered. Really Indian postal service sucks.
Is there any way that we can track in Indian side????
April 26th, 2005 at 6:24 pm (#)
i sent a registered letter to CANADA on19/04/05 from thyagaraya nagar,CHANNAI. The details are
fgn-AIR-RL A 6664.
Please inform position of letter
January 18th, 2006 at 2:01 am (#)
dear all,
i am the mother of 6 year old son ‚he is in india,i am working in US,on dec-7 i send some toys for my son as achristmas gift, global express is the one i selected,he is still waiting for that,i tracked and found it left US,the sad part lies on INDIAN POSTAL SERVICE,will he receive atleast some.
Anxious mother
May 4th, 2006 at 8:39 am (#)
I sent a one cubic foot parcel of 10 lbs contains Used Play Station 2 to India through USPS, it is more than 2 months they didn’t receive it. When I call USPS asking status they are laughing saying “That’s third world countries” What a shame?
When India became “Law less State�
Murali
May 10th, 2006 at 7:49 pm (#)
I sent a package from Michigan to India weighing 1lb which just had some fancy decorative buttons for children’s clothing on April 3rd and it has not reached so far. USPS says it left form US and they have no control over the package. Looks like it went in to a big black hole or something.
It is such a shame that Indian postal service people are so greedy and without morals that they swipe other people’s stuff and don’t account for it at all.
September 3rd, 2006 at 3:53 am (#)
so what are good companies to send packages from India to the US, i’m travelling to GOA and would like to send some things back to the USA, what else is there besides FedEx, thanks very much
November 4th, 2008 at 9:52 pm (#)
Indian postal service is a Joke.
Once I send a laptop from US to my Uncle. It never reached… Probably the postal people preserved it for their personal use or sold it…
The worst postal service in the world is Indian postal service…
November 13th, 2008 at 3:47 pm (#)
When parcels are sent by Indian postal service by registered post its contents are tempered & articles removed & replaced by some other useless items. can u inprove the working more honestly & efficiently.
May 14th, 2009 at 10:49 pm (#)
my freind sent for me imported Art/sketching/painting material and greeting card as my birthday gift from Vietnam to my place,delhi. it’s one month now but still not reached. it’s a registered post too . don’t know where is my birthday gift sent by my sweet friend. she is in so much tears as her parcel lost after reaching india. Indian postal service is a shame , really. they don’t care sentiments of people.
May 30th, 2009 at 11:22 am (#)
i was supposed to receive a package from denver USA
after 15 long days i receive the package and guess what the dress in it is missing just stuffed paper thats all i get,i paid soo much for the dress and:(
the people are blaming the custom people
May 4th, 2010 at 5:54 pm (#)
i had a similar experience. one of my frens sent me 10 t-shirts, bt i received only 6 t-shirts. staffs at post office didnt help me even to make a complaint. i dont trust indian postal service. for sure, i m nt goin to use thier service again.
August 16th, 2011 at 11:31 pm (#)
I had a same experience I sent a o4 nos Poster Size Photo to UK in cylindrical sealed Packet ( write a address on both end of Cylindercal pack) my uncle received empty packet ( half ) and weak after another empty part. I register a complain with http://www.indiapost.gov.in … Funny part .… after 6– 8 months I got final Reply My complain closed with REMARK USE STRONG package for your articles.…. & no further communication on this regards.…