Generation that saw maximum changes--4

The Generation that saw maximum changes---4

I am sure you have liked my previous article and forwarded it to other groups, do so again if you like this one also. I am going to talk about the communications across India. Let us start talking with the post office

Post Office—Post offices were present only in the district (Jilha/Janpad) headquarters and major cities. In major cities they will be present in different zones. Post offices will have facility of Telegraph, Trunk calls, postcards, Inland letters, envelops and stamps. Few post offices gave the facility of small savings certificates called cash certificates and these could be cashed anywhere in India.

Post cards/Inland letters/envelops- These were the cheapest forms of communications with your loved ones. Initially the time taken by the postcard or inland letter etc. to reach the destination was uncertain it could days or even months. It was only during Indira Gandhi’s time when the Postal Index Numbers (PIN code) were introduced and the problem of sorting was over. The postman no longer was required to try and read illegible hand writings and send the post to somewhere else. Now the post started reaching the destination within days if not within 48 hours.?Today hardly anyone uses postcards or inland letters etc, unless legal requirement.

Telegraph—Most of the people used telegraph only for informing deaths in the family. It was expensive as compared to postcards etc. In our school arithmetic we used to have sums for solving where we were required to calculate the cost of sending the telegraph for a message to given address. It helped me when as a sales officer launching Boost, we were required to send telegraph of sales achieved every night (night charges 50% of normal). Our company had registered address to save cost HORLICKS BOMBAY. I am told the telegraph staff helped spread the news of Mahatma Gandhi’s fasting across India free. Today most of the telegraph offices have closed with advent of many alternatives.

Trunk calls--- Telephones were present only in cities and district headquarters and numbers used to be in two or three digits (number of subscribers were less). This was because the telephone exchanges were using crossbar technology that could have limited capacity. People used to book trunk calls of various types.

a)??????Normal trunk call that could days to materialise

b)?????Lightning calls--- that were urgent and will materialise in less than 6 hours

c)??????Particular person (PP) calls---Many times when the person you were calling was absent at other end and the call goes waste, so, if you book PP call the exchange at other end will confirm that the person is available and the call was connected.

d)?????Fixed time call—Many businessmen will use this when they were required to call every day at fixed time

Getting a telephone connection was also a problem with limited capacity of the exchanges. I remember booking an OYT (own your telephone) that was required higher deposit and chances were better in 1976 and was fortunate enough to get the connection in 1988. Today the situation has changed drastically, people have number of mobile connections that could be taken within minutes.