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I express my strong protest against the decision of BSNL to close the telegram services. BSNL has issued orders stating that the telegram services will be closed with effect from 15th July 2013.
This decision has been taken by the management without discussing with the recognised unions. Telegraph Services were started in India by the British in 1850. On 5th November, the first message went between Diamond harbour and Calcutta.First it was only for use of the government and later extended to the people. Telegraph was the fastest mode of communications till the telephones services started in the 1930s. Still telegraphs continued as a major method of communication.
The Central Telegraph Offices in Calcutta, Bombay, Delhi, Madras etc. employed hundreds of Telegraphists, Telegraph Clerks and Telgraphmen on duty round the clock. It was not much different in other cities. The cut-cut-cud-cut of the telegraph machines filled the Instrument Rooms. The traffic was so busy that sometimes the staff have to forego even tea-break.
Of course, everything has changed during the last two decades. 90% of the telegrams have been reduced. Now it is being used in the rural areas, by the military and military personnel, some banks, medical rpresentatives and by some others for legal and record purposes etc.
BSNL management might have issued the order to reduce its losses being incurred for running the services. Nobody will deny that justification. BUt as in the case of loss making telephone services in the rural areas, the telegram service also has to be maintained. Further, before taking such a drastic action as closing the service completely, the recognised unions of the employees have not even been consulted. The Management also should have considered the people who are still using the telegram services. Telegraph is to be treated as a Heritage service and maintained at least in the District HQrs as at present.
I express my strong protest against this closure of one of the earliest service in the country. The BSNL Management should urgently discuss the matter with the unions/associations so that the issue is solved in an amicable way.
VAN Namboodiri's Blog 
tk u com. actually the telegram service is so important in this island. In our office a single telegraph men is doing as no staff of telegraphist available but it is very much useful to the remote islands. it is delivered even through police wireless also. closer of telegraph is not acceptable.
Dear Comrade, I am thankful for the information. We will take it up with the management.
if govt decide any matter of closure do the same at any cost dual standard one of major govt org still not able to get profit but still survived lack of guidance(postal) not get profit in history/present but they get job security/bonus.
bsnl get artificial loss because it not a weak organization dual standard adopt by govt of India some of political leaders and some of top level union leaders also responsible.
The present orders of the DOT/BSNL is applicable to the post 2007 pensioners.
Even Now a days at hilly places or field areas where Army camps exist, the poor Sepoy need telegraph services to get information from their homes/ nearest or dearest ones. In fact, physical delivery of Telegrams at the door of the customers have been expensive and not the process of transmissions. Further more, on calculation of cost of Telegrams word-wise is not suitable in modern age, which has made it expensive and unpopular. Price of telegrams could be made page-wise and transmission could be done through scanning and not word by word. Delivery cost could be calculated separately, which may be subsidized or may be effected through nearest post offices. If Telegrams and Telephone bills are delivered by Telegraphman, for which a new standard of delivery norms are developed by revising time distance chart carefully, then delivery costs will also be reduced/minimized and this service may not be a loosing concerned. Moreover, now a days telegraph staff are doing all sorts of works of TRA sections/TRA Counters and in other Sections of Telephones, Broadband and new services but their salaries are shown under Telegraph Heads/ Telegraph Traffic Section, owing to which Loss in Telegraph side appears to be so high. So, if actual assessments are made and cost of telegrams and delivery norms are modified and delivery works of telegrams are combined with delivery of telephone bills through messangers (which BSNL pays to Post Offices) and style of transmission is changed through scanning system, then Telegraph Services may not be a loosing section in BSNL.