Postal field staff to wear khaki again

KOCHI: Remember those days when a khaki-clad postman used to carry a bunch of letters to your house. Such days will be back soon as the Department of Posts has speeded up the procedures to distribute khaki uniforms.
According to the authorities, though the department had sanctioned the reversal of blue uniform to khaki two years ago, it could not be implemented as some inconveniences cropped up. Most of the postmen and postwomen seemed to welcome the decision as the khaki uniform had earned them respect and identity once.
“The respect which we got through khaki uniform was immense. We were considered as part of the family by the public. But with the blue uniform, they could hardly differentiate between a postman and other private firm workers. Nowadays, many private organisations have the same dress code for their security personnel too,” said a postman of the Ernakulam head post office.  They also needed a change in colour for the current uniform gets easily soiled. “We get only one uniform per year with a logo and it is not that easy to maintain it with the light colour. Khaki is a better alternative. Hence we welcome the move,” said a postwoman.
K Ravikuttan, state president, National Federation of Postal Employees, said the uniform for the field staff was changed to light blue shirt and dark trousers in 2004 and it invited a lot of criticism from various quarters.
“We did not approve of it right from the start as it marred the distinct identity which the khaki uniform ensured. The change was implemented as part of the department’s emphasis on corporate look. But unlike it, khaki denotes a government identity. Hence we decided to back the khaki uniform. We are happy that after a long wait, khaki will be our identity once again,” he said.