Government of India Ministry of Communications Department of Posts Mail Operations Division Dak Bhawan, New Delhi- 110 001 No: 16-02/2024-D Dated: 25.10.2024
Subject: Policy guidelines on delivery of Postal articles by Delivery staff through their own two-wheeler vehicle — reg.
Over the past few years, delivery of postal articles has undergone a transformational change over the years. More and more delivery staff are presently using their own 2-wheeler vehicles i.e. bike/scooter for delivery of postal articles. Parcel Directorate has also issued guidelines for payment of fuel reimbursement charges to delivery staff engaged at NDCs/Delivery Post offices (containing Parcel Delivery beats) using their personal 2-wheeler vehicles for Parcel delivery vide OM dated 6th May, 2022 (Copy enclosed). Besides, private courier players operating in the country are also effecting delivery of the booked articles including documents through the 2-wheeler vehicle owned by the delivery staff.
2. Department has recently enter into a tie-up with Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (M/o MSME) for delivery of toolkits under the PM Vishwakarma Scheme. The toolkits weighing between 15 kg. to 40 kg. are to be delivered to the beneficiaries (artisans, craftsman, etc.) under the Scheme. The toolkits are being delivered Pan-India and includes areas covered under Nodal Delivery Centres, delivery POs other than NDCs as well as delivery areas covered under delivery jurisdiction of Branch Post Offices. It is expected that delivery POs in small towns and Branch Post offices will receive 1-2 toolkits in a week for delivery to the beneficiaries. This low volume may not justify delivery of such toolkits through 4-wheeler vehicles, however delivery of such heavy articles also cannot be effected through foot/cycle beat. Delivery of such type of articles can easily be performed through the 2-wheeler vehicles as is the practice in the private courier industry.
3. However, Department at present has no policy for encouraging the delivery staff to use their 2-wheeler vehicles for delivering the postal articles (Speed Post, Registered, ordinary articles) other than Parcels. Though Department has also made provision in Recruitment Rules for Postman for hiring a person with valid 2-wheeler driving license to become postman. At present, Departmental guidelines only deals with the delivery of postal articles through bicycle for which Delivery staff receives Bicycle Allowance at the rate of Rs. 180/- per month as has been provided vide Deptt. of Expenditure OM dated 14/7/2022.
4. Delivery through bike/scooter not only provides for expedited delivery of the postal articles but has also been necessitated by the present trends in the courier and express market. Besides, mechanized delivery also improves productivity of delivery staff by enabling delivery of increased number of postal articles by a delivery staff by reducing the travel time travelled in a delivery beat. Mechanized delivery is also beneficial to the delivery staff as mechanized beat involved less physical exhaustion in comparison to foot or cycle beat. It is also to be noted that at present major courier players in the country are using 2-wheeler vehicles for delivery of postal articles. Mechanized delivery of articles in association with the setting up of centralized delivery of articles will help the Department in bringing its delivery practices at par with the other delivery players operating in the country such as morning & evening delivery beats, improved efficiency in delivery, etc.
5. Accordingly, policy guidelines to provide for the delivery of all kind of postal articles by the delivery staff by using their own 2-wheeler vehicle i.e. bikes/scooter and payment of fuel reimbursement charges to such delivery staff are being issued. The Policy Guidelines have been broadly framed on the line of Guidelines issued by the Parcel Directorate. Besides, formula for calculation of fuel reimbursement charges to the delivery staff have been kept same as has been issued by the Parcel Directorate. A copy of the Policy guidelines is attached.
6. Following are the major features of the guidelines for delivery of all kind of postal articles including documents by the delivery staff by using their own bikes/scooter:
(a) Following types of delivery staff engaged in Departmental Post offices including NDCs will be covered under the guidelines:
i. Regular Postman staff
ii. |Grameen Dak Sewaks (GDS) including GDS
Mail Carrier (MC)*
iii. |Other Departmental staff being engaged
for delivery work
iv. Outsourced delivery staff including GOS Mall Carrier engaged In Branch Post Offices
(b) Ad-hoc revised Postman Establishment norms will be applicable for the delivery staff when the delivery is being made through 2-wheeler vehicles. Accordingly, following entry related to delivery of postal articles through 2-wheeler vehicles will be added in the “SI. No. 16” of the Postman Establishment norms issued vide letter no. 9-
1/2005-W.S.\/PE.1 dated 5/2/2010 (Page 3-6/C)
as is indicated below:
| [aotnaee|mnedons | |
areas in minutes | areas in minutes
By Foot 19 Mts/km 12 Mts/km
By bicycle 10 Mts/km 06 Mts/km
By 2-wheeler vehicle 5 Mts/km 3 Mts/km Ad-hoc norms
Note: Postman Establishment Norms for delivery of postal articles through 2-wheeler vehicles are ad-hoc norms and will be applicable til the delivery norms for delivery through 2-wheeler vehicle are issued by the Postal Directorate.
(c) Delivery staff can be paid reimbursement charges for delivering postal article through their own 2-wheeler vehicle at the rate as has been prescribed for delivery of Parcels by the Parcel Directorate vide OM dated 6th May, 2022 and same formula also included in the attached Policy Guidelines.
(J) Payment of reimbursement charges to the delivery staff will be made on the monthly basis.
7. The Policy will be applicable for two years from the date of implementation after that the Policy will be reviewed by the Department for further continuation on the basis of cost-benefit analysis.
8. Circles are requested to implement the Policy guidelines in the Post offices for delivery of all kind of postal articles including documents by the delivery staff with effect from 15th November, 2024.
This issues with the approval of Secretary
(Posts).
(Dushyant Mudgal)
DDG (Mail Operations)
