Sangam city, a pioneer in postal services

ALLAHABAD: Sangam city is known for many firsts including first air mail, railway mail to postal services. The first horsecart mail service was started by a city-based trader Lala Thantimal. A resident of Chowk area, Lala’s business was spread up to Kanpur and he is credited with launch of the mail service.
Thanthimal came up with the idea around 175-years ago when his business spread to Kanpur and adjacent districts and for better communication with traders, he launched a horsecart service first on experimental basis which was an instant hit.Later, other traders followed suit and started sending mails through the Thantimal’s horsecart service.
Director Postal Services, Krishna Kumar Yadav, who has also authored a research based book on India Post said that the horsecart mail service was started between Allahabad and Kanpur in the year 1841, a year after the release of world’s first postage stamp in Great Britain on May 6, 1840.
“The Daak Harakkara’s used to travel along with the cart through forests for security purpose. They used to carry a bell on their belt and a spear for protection. In the year 1850, Lala Thantimal founded ‘Inland Transit Company’ in association with Britishers and after Allahabad, he spread the service to Kanpur and Kolkata,” said Yadav.
After renovation of Grand Trunk Road, the mail was carried through ‘paalki’ and horse cart, in which a horse used to travel upto seven kilometers on the safe roads. From Allahabad to Bithur (now Kanpur) postal mails were transported through a boat on river Ganga. He said the later years the service was extended to prominent cities like Meerut, Delhi, Agra, Lucknow, and Varanasi.
“Being situated at the center of all cities, Allahabad city’s role was crucial. As such, Lala Thanthimal is credited with starting the first company of Postal System in India. In 1854 with integration of Postal Services as a department, Inland Transit Company was also merged with this department,” he said.
It may be mentioned here that World’s first Air Mail was started in Allahabad on 18 February, 1911. A plane carrying about 6500 letters took-off from the Polo Ground of Allahabad and after a flight of 13 minutes it landed on a ground near Naini Railway Station.
Postal Director told that as per records, Colonel Windham contacted postal officer for the sending some articles through Air Mail for the first time, and the then chief of Posts gladly accorded his permission for it. This flight which lasted for only 13 minutes created a history. Letters which were carried through First Air Mail were addressed to people across the world, out of which one letter was sent to Jawahrlal Nehru by his father Motilal Nehru. Many British officers wrote letters to King George V.
Railway Mail Service is also said to be started in Allahabad. Krishna Kumar Yadav, Director Postal Services, Allahabad told that after beginning of railways, a Railway Sorting Section was started between Allahabad Kanpur route, for the first time in India on 1 May, 1864, which eventually emerged as Railway Mail Service (RMS).