Tiruchirapalli (TN), June 12
Smartphones, email 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 much happy and sad news to people across 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 the New Delhi-based corporate office of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), the telegraph service is to be discontinued from July 15, 2013. Signed by Senior General Manager (Telegraph Services) Shameem Akhtar, the circular has been sent to various telecom district and circle offices. All telegraph offices under the management of BSNL will stop booking telegrams from July 15. BSNL had withdrawn telegram services for overseas communication two months ago.

The circular has also directed telecom offices to maintain log books, service messages and delivery slips only for six months from the date of booking. However, complaints, Press reports and messages from consumer forum are to be kept for a year.

Bharat Sanchar Nigam is learnt to have asked the government to support the service, as it was not commercially viable. "We had asked the government to support the service, but the government said the BSNL board should decide on it.

“We have taken a decision to close the service after consultation with the Department of Posts. They also said that there are better options available,” a BSNL source said.

Faced with declining revenues, the government had in May 2011, revised telegram charges after 60 years. The charges for inland services were hiked to Rs 27.50 from Rs 3.50 and Rs 4.50 earlier.

The BSNL has instructed that surplus telegraph staff members be deployed to mobile services, landline telephony, broadband services and shifting could take place in the next three months. Expectedly, the move has not gone down well.

Talking to PTI over the phone, R Pattabhiraman, state secretary of the National Federation of Telecom Employees, said, "Before taking such a decision, BSNL should have consulted trade unions on the issue of deployment of so-called surplus employees. There will be many issues and dissatisfaction among staff members when the exercise of shifting staff to some other portfolio or locations is made," he said. — PTI