Team Goemkarponn
CANACONA: Residents of Agonda are facing a serious disruption in postal services, with a large number of letters and parcels lying undelivered at the local branch post office due to the absence of a functioning postman.
Sources indicate that more than 500 registered articles along with over a thousand regular postal items have accumulated at the Agonda Branch Post Office. Residents have reportedly been approaching the Branch Post Master with complaints about not receiving important mail, including letters and parcels.
Officials revealed that the Assistant Branch Post Master (ABPM), who is responsible for delivering mail in the village, had initially proceeded on a four-day leave on April 8 citing health reasons. Although he had previously resumed duty after similar short breaks, this time he did not return and instead extended his leave through a medical certificate, stating he would be unavailable until April 30. He has yet to rejoin duty, leading to a complete halt in delivery services.
The situation has been further aggravated by staffing challenges faced over the past year. The earlier Assistant Branch Post Master, who handled deliveries in Agonda, died by suicide on August 15 last year. He was reportedly under significant stress linked to workload pressures and adapting to newly introduced digital delivery systems.
Following his death, a temporary worker was नियुक्तed for mail delivery but left the job within a few months, citing low wages that did not cover basic expenses such as fuel. A new regular ABPM was later posted to the branch in December 2025 and underwent initial training to manage deliveries in the area.
Despite this, the branch has continued to face a heavy influx of postal articles, and the current absence of delivery staff has resulted in a growing backlog. With no immediate resolution in sight, residents continue to face inconvenience as essential postal services remain disrupted.
