Smartphones, emails and SMS seem to have pushed the humble telegram service to a quiet corner with the BSNL deciding to discontinue the 160-year-old telegraph service from July 15. Once the main source of quick and urgent communication, the service delivered many happy and sad news to people spread all over the country.
But with the advent of technology and newer means of communication, the telegram found itself edged out. As per a circular issued by Shameem Akhtar, Sr. General Manager (Telegraph Services) Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) Corporate office, New Delhi, the telegraph service is to be discontinued with effect from July 15, 2013.
The circular sent to various telecom district and circle offices as per the instruction of a competent authority denotes that telegram services will be closed from July 15 and as a result all telegraph offices under the management of BSNL will have to stop booking telegrams from that date. The circular has also directed the telecom offices to maintain the log books, service messages, delivery slips only for six months from the date of bookings. However, complaints, press reports and other messages from different consumer forum are to be kept for one year.
Sources at BSNL Delhi said, “We had asked the government to support the service as it was not commercially viable and the government said the BSNL board should decide on it.
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