SRINAGAR: Working hours at India’s only Floating Post Office, operating from a houseboat on Dal Lake in Srinagar, have been extended from five hours to 12 hours, Department of Posts announced Friday. According to the revised timings, the post office (PO) at Nehru Park will now remain open from 9am to 9pm.The move follows increased footfall and public demand for postal services beyond regular office hours, chief postmaster general, Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, Col Sagar Hanuman Singh said during a visit to the facility. He reviewed arrangements and interacted with locals and tourists.
Col Singh said the initiative aims to provide greater convenience to customers. The extended hours will provide locals, houseboat operators, and tourists greater flexibility to access postal services, officials said.In 1953, the PO operated from a simple postal boat, catering to communities living on Dal Lake. It served as a vital link between the houseboats and the city. In 2011, the facility was officially renamed the Floating Post Office—an idea John Samuel, then-postmaster general of the J&K circle, introduced.The PO has a unique museum of rare stamps and postcards that portray the history of the postal service in J&K. Over time, it has become a popular tourist attraction.