Calicut Head Post Office at Mananchira in Kozhikode (image for representational purposes). | Photo credit: K. Ragesh
The closure of post offices across Kerala, driven by the Union government’s post-amendment restructuring policy, has led to some concerns about the reconfiguration of the six-digit Postal Index Number (PIN) codes.
In north Kerala, which covers six districts from Kasaragod to Palakkad, a total of 13 post offices have been closed or merged, according to official data. The closures include one each in Thalassery, Vadakara, Manjeri and Kannur; two in Palakkad; and six in Kozhikode district, which saw the highest number of closures.
Incidentally, public awareness of the closures remains limited. “I was not aware of any closure of the post office in Manjeri,” said Mohammed Rizvin, a retail shop owner in the town. “Elderly members of my family often use the postal service, but there was no prior notice or information about such a move.”
However, postal officials said the restructuring undertaken by India Post was aimed at rationalizing the existing network. “Under this policy, post offices are closed or relocated if there is more than one within a radius of two kilometers in urban areas or within five kilometers in rural areas. The aim is to prevent unnecessary concentration and improve operational efficiency,” the official said.
“These offices are being merged with nearby branches instead of being closed completely,” said V. Sarada, Senior Superintendent of Posts, Kozhikode Division. “In Kozhikode, the affected offices were mostly non-delivery branches or those that did not meet the prescribed urban distance norms,” she added.
Ms. Sarada added that transactions from the affected branches have been redirected to the nearest post offices to ensure continuity of services such as mail delivery, savings schemes and parcel handling. Although measures are in place to minimize inconvenience, she acknowledged that users may face some initial difficulties during the transition.
In Palakkad, Sunitha S., Deputy Superintendent of Post Offices, confirmed that two branches have already been closed. “Proposals to close more offices have been put forward but remain under review and have not yet been finalised,” she said.
Ms. Sunitha said that when a post office is closed, the PIN code associated with that branch ceases to exist and its services are merged with the nearest operating branch. “The realignment of post offices is primarily based on distance standards and the ratio of income to costs of each branch,” she noted.
Restructuring also includes opening new post offices in underserved areas. Ten new offices were simultaneously opened under this policy, including at Padinjarathara in Wayanad, the Central University of Kerala campus in Kasaragod and the Melmuri branch in Manjeri. “We will closely monitor the situation and address any difficulties users face during the transition period,” the official said.
Published – 28 Jan 2026 20:45 IST
