Postal services across Nagpur came to a near standstill on Wednesday and Thursday following a prolonged server outage that disrupted digital operations in almost all major post offices, including the busy Dharampeth branch. The failure of the online system, introduced as part of India Post’s digital upgrade, left citizens frustrated and several offices eerily empty. A visit to the Dharampeth Post Office revealed a deserted scene with unmanned counters and visibly dejected staff. Customers who came to send parcels, pay bills or collect postal savings were left stranded without assistance.

 

Similar complaints poured in from other post offices across the city, including Civil Lines, Itwari, and Sadar branches. “I’ve been visiting the post office since morning to send an important parcel, but the staff say the system is down. It’s extremely frustrating that even basic services are paralysed,” said a distressed citizen waiting outside Dharampeth Post Office. When contacted by ‘The Hitavada’, Postmaster General Shobha Madhale confirmed the widespread nature of the disruption. “Yes, this is a pan regional technical issue. Our technical team is working rigorously to resolve it at the earliest,” she stated. Officials allege a backend synchronisation fault during the recent system upgrade may have triggered the outage. The incident has once again raised concerns about overdependence on digital systems without adequate backup mechanisms for essential public services.