Use post offices as cargo handling centres: Assocham

New Delhi, June 6 (UNI) Industry Chamber Assocham has identified about 250 post offices in Delhi and NCR that have vacant spaces which can be used for cargo handling centres as well as putting up of fast food retail outlets.

The chamber has mooted a proposal for Department of Posts (DoP) to use these places for suitable commercial utilisation either by setting up bulk cargo handling centres for Railways and airports and chains of fast food centres.

''Employment opportunities can be created for thousands of unemployed youths and a role model be established for other metros and large cities to be emulated for judicious use of vacant space in their post offices,'' the chamber said, in a statement.

In Delhi and NCR, there are about 1,000 post offices operating with 80 per cent of them having enough vacant space that can be used for cargo handling centres as well putting up of fast food retail outlets.

According to Assocham's estimates, in Delhi alone post offices where capacities are perfectly utilised include Parliament Street, New Delhi GPO, Eastern Court, Delhi GPO, Kashmere Gate and big post offices. The remaining post offices have enough space that can earn the Department a good deal of revenue, provided, commercial ventures are accommodated in them.

''The proposal is being given final touches before it is submitted to the authorities concerned and the idea of the proposal is to advise the authorities to make use of their space in a manner so that their revenues grow bigger,'' Assocham Secretary General D S Rawat said, in the statement.

He said DoP can target the large corporate houses, institutions/associations, banks, PSUs, builders/developers and trade fairs organisers, etc for their massive air and railway postages.

UNI