Tuesday, August 14, 2012

A solution to address-proof issues in Bangalore

Dear Comrades,

If you have just shifted to Bangalore to set up residence and are at sea over how to apply for gas and telephone connections, a lesser-known service of the postal department might just come to your rescue.

With little publicity, the Indian Postal Department has been issuing photo identification which can act as address proof and is a relevant document to apply for gas and telephone connections.

The process is quite simple. “All you need to do is get a form from the post office nearest to your residence. The application will cost Rs10 with Re1 as service charges,” explained Deputy Chief Post Master, TR Shankar.
A postman will visit your residence for verification and cross-check with your landlord and neighbours to ensure your identity as a resident there. In due course, an ID card will be issued to you, for which you have to submit your photograph along with a payment of Rs240.
“The whole process can take anywhere between two weeks to a month. Thereafter, an identity card will be given with your name, photograph and your residential address printed on it,” Shankar said.
Postal IDs are to facilitate and connect with the post office-related concerns. “This is for those who come from other cities and need to make some transactions with the post offices. But now, some of the banks have also started to accept it. Some gas agencies also accept them now,” said AK Hanjura, Chief Post Master, GPO, Bangalore.
The process was initially started for people who had no identity proof but were making postal transactions like money orders or postal insurance etc. It comes under clause 63 of Post Office Guide which states that these IDs could be given for the benefit of tourists, travelling representatives of firms and other members of public who experience difficulty in establishing their identity in connection with postal transactions.
But these have now been extended to avail telephone and gas connections, too.
The identity card is valid up to three years from the date of issue. “If you lose your card, you have to come and make a declaration at the same post office and also pay the prescribed fees,” said Shankar.
Although not many know about the postal department’s ID cards, the department officials say they have not publicised about this service properly. “But we have had this service for many years. But due to poor publicity, the service is not popular,” said an official of the department, adding that this is most helpful for those who shift residences often.

DNA India
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