New Delhi, May 22: India Post has resumed bookings for international speed post to 15 select countries, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Friday. Service of International Tracked Packet, which is specially designed to send consignments to Asia Pacific Region, is also available, Ravi Shankar Prasad added. The booking for deliveries of parcels and letters to other countries remains suspended. India Post Designs 22 Routes Connecting 75 Cities to Deliver Essentials Faster.

Prasad tweeted: "@IndiaPostOffice resumes booking for Int’l Speed Post to 15 countries & Int’l Tracked Packet services to already available destinations. Delivery timelines will depend on the aviation services amidst pandemic #Covid19. Booking for other Int’l Parcel n Letters remain suspended (sic)." The services were suspended due to the nationwide lockdown because of the global coronavirus outbreak.

Ravi Shankar Prasad's Tweet:

While postal services were suspended, India Post continued efforts to provide relief to people by delivering life-saving drugs to patients living in remote areas and providing pension and social security benefits through Aadhar-enabled payment system during the lockdown. Indian postal service has moved several consignments like ventilators and life-saving medicines and each postal circle has a nodal officer appointed to look after the process.

"Most of these goods are sent by speed post. We are utilising the cargo flights available and we have also taken the assistance of India Air Force. We are taking help of lifeline flights which are managed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. We are utilising our own departmental red motor vans throughout the country," Ajay Kumar Roy, Deputy Director-General, Mail Operations, told ANI.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 22, 2020 10:06 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).