The idea is to make postal services more accessible in remote areas for the convenience of the customers without incurring any financial burden. Last year, the department had opened franchise in Sectors 37, 55 and 59.

Hoshiar Singh Yaday, Superintendent of Posts, Faridabad, said applications have been invited for opening post office franchises in these localities.

"With the development of Faridabad, many new colonies have come up. The existing post offices are not reachable to a lot of customers. In this age of Internet and telephone, people prefer faster communication, but there is a good percentage that still cherishes reading letters. We want to keep our customer base intact by providing the service to them," he said.

The Department of Posts has decided to open a franchise in 20 colonies in the district to save customers from any inconvenience that is caused by reaching a post office at a distance and where, when they reach, they find that stationery items have exhausted, Yaday said.

According to Yaday keeping in view the business potential and the requests from the residents, the Department of Posts have invited applications for franchise in Sectors 11, 14, 17, 19, 21, 24, 25, 42, 55, 91, SGM Nagar, Railway Road in Neighbourhood-5, Sainik Colony, Parwatia Colony, Nangla Road, Kheri, Ballabgarh, Sector 2 in Palwal and Hodal.

He said without incurring any financiallabiality the Department of Posts has decided to provide the service to its customers. "The rent of the premises and the cost of equipment and furnishing will be borne by the party interested in getting a franchise. We will be simply giving them some commission on the sale of stationery items and other services like speed post, money order and registered letters," he said.