Concern over change in PIN codes following closure of post offices in north Kerala

Concerns arise in north Kerala over PIN code changes due to post office closures and mergers impacting local services.

The closure of post offices across Kerala, driven by the Union government’s post-amendment restructuring policy, has led to some concern over the reconfiguration of six-digit Postal Index Number (PIN) codes.

​In north Kerala, which covers six districts from Kasaragod to Palakkad, a total of 13 sub-post offices have been closed or merged, according to official data. The closures include one each in Thalassery, Vadakara, Manjeri, and Kannur; two in Palakkad; and six in the Kozhikode district, which recorded the highest number of closures.

​Incidentally, public awareness of the closures remains limited. “I was unaware of any post office closures in Manjeri,” said Mohammed Rizvin, a retail shop owner in the town. “Older members of my family use postal services frequently, yet there was no prior notice or information regarding such a move.”

However, postal officials said that the restructuring exercise, undertaken by India Post, was aimed at rationalising the existing network. “Under this policy, post offices are closed or relocated if more than one exists within a two-kilometre radius in urban areas or a five-kilometre radius in rural areas. This is intended to avoid unnecessary concentration and improve operational efficiency,” an official said.

​“These offices are being merged with nearby branches rather than being shut down entirely,” said V. Sarada, Senior Superintendent of Post Offices, Kozhikode Division. “In Kozhikode, the offices affected were largely non-delivery branches or those that did not comply with prescribed urban distance norms,” she added.

Ms. Sarada added that transactions from the affected offices have been redirected to the nearest post offices to ensure the continuity of services, such as mail delivery, savings schemes, and parcel handling. While measures are in place to minimise inconvenience, she acknowledged that users may face some initial difficulty during the transition.