Even during lockdown, Pune Postal Department is providing services most needed in present crisis.

So far, 1343 boxes of Covid-19 testing kits weighing 6,500 kilograms have been sent by the postal department to various places across the country from Pune.As a result, three lakh citizens across the country have been able to undergo corona testing, the postal department said.

The Pune Postal Region has entered into an agreement with Messrs. My Lab, a laboratory approved by ICMR, for the testing kit of Covid-19.These Kits are perishable. Therefore, within a certain time, it is necessary to deliver through cold chain logistics.The parcels have been sent from Pune to Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Bhopal, Nagpur, Raipur, Hyderabad, Ankleshwar and Ahmedabad.The Pune Postal Department has been successful in distributing testing kits across the country with a specific time limit.

Recently, as per the agreement reached between the postal department and ICMR, 258 speed posts weighing 1,500 kg have also been booked by the National Institute of Virology (NIV) for various locations across the country.

These speed posts will be sent to various places in Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Bangalore, Jammu, Agartala, Guwahati and Maharashtra.Assistant Postmaster General RS Gaikwad told that these speed posts are also being shipped by road or air available under Cold Chain Logistics.India Post has entered into a tie up with ICMR for delivery of its Covid-19 testing Kits from its 16 regional depots to the 200 testing labs in the country.Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has set a target of carrying out around one lakh tests across the country per day.

For this crucial work, India Post with its vast network of 1,56000 post offices has once again geared up for performing as a strong COVID warriors.

India Post has delivered consignments to remote areas including Imphal, Aizawl, Dungarpur, Churu, Jhalawar, Kolkata, Bhubaneshwar, Ranchi, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Kota and other places. These kits are being delivered packed in dry ice.Union Minister of Communications Ravi Shankar Prasad appreciated the renewed commitment and partnership between ICMR and Department of Posts.

He said, India Post has been delivering mails, medicines, financial assistance at doorsteps and even distributing food and ration to needy during lockdown.Mr Prasad called upon the Department to continue with its good work and leave no stone unturned in making timely delivery of medicines, testing kits and other medical equipments.

The India Post staff is working round the clock to ensure timely deliveries. Rising to the call of duty, deliveries are being made even at 11:30 PM.India Post is committed to ensure that the delivery of kits is made as per requirements even in far-flung areas like Zoram Medical College, Mizoram.