Stop temporary merger of sub post offices in Madurai: MP

Madurai: Madurai MP Su Venkatesan has demanded the immediate intervention from the chief post master general of the Tamil Nadu circle, to halt the proposed temporary merger of two sub-post offices in Madurai - the Madurai railway divisional office SO, and the Jaihindpuram SO.

Venkatesan warned that “temporary mergers” historically served as a pretext for permanent closures in the region, and said no new post office was established in Madurai for 20 years despite the population crossing 22 lakh in 2026.

To counter the rationale for closure, the MP cited the financial performance and public dependency of both branches. The post office in the vicinity of the DRM office operated with two staff members, one permanent and one extra-departmental worker, and serves railway employees, educational institutions and NGOs. “It handles more than 5,000 transactions and mobilised over Rs2 crore in deposits over a three-month period,” Venkatesan said.

He also said that the Jaihindpuram SO serves as an economic lifeline for a densely populated working-class neighbourhood. “It manages more than 3,000 transactions, mobilised near about Rs1.5 crore in deposits, and disbursed an equal amount in the single month of April 2026 alone,” he added.

The MP emphasised that decommissioning these offices undermined India Post’s mission of financial inclusion. Copies of the request were forwarded to the Union minister of communications seeking protection for the two offices.