The Department of Posts is set to introduce drone-based mail and parcel delivery in Assam within the next two to three months.
According to an official source in the Ministry of Communications, the Department of Posts has planned for the deployment of drone-based mail transmission across around 150 identified routes in Assam and Himachal Pradesh over the next two to three months.
He said the service has started recently between Mandi Head Post Office and Rehardhar Branch Post Office in Himachal Pradesh on a trial basis.
“In Assam also it will be launched shortly as a pilot project and depending on its sucess, it will be gradually scaled up,” the source said.
The initiative builds upon feedback received during the interactions of Union Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya M. Scindia with Gramin Dak Sevaks and Postal Assistants, where the need for faster and more efficient connectivity in remote and difficult terrains was highlighted.
The drone-based transmission will considerably reduce the delivery time in far-flung and hilly areas.
The source added that Rehardhar Branch Post Office in Himachal Pradesh, located about 12 kilometres from Mandi Head Post Office, currently takes over two hours to connect through conventional arrangements, but with drone-based transmission, the transit time has been reduced to just about seven minutes.
Postal department to introduce drone-based mail delivery in Assam
