Postal services worst hit in Lucknow

LUCKNOW: Postal, banking and insurance services were partially hit in the city during the nationwide strike called by trade unions on Wednesday in support of their dozenodd demands.While no work was done at the GPO in Hazratganj, post offices in Chowk, Jankipuram, Aliganj and Vikasnagar were either shut or functioned in fits and starts. People who sought delivery services or came for remitting/depositing money under savings schemes had to go back disappointed.“I needed to send an urgent money order to a relative, but the post office was closed,” said Himanshu Varshney at Vikasnagar. Head of India Post National Union JP Yadav claimed, “Five branches of India Post were closed owing to the strike on Wednesday. We will resume services on Thursday.”Employees of most public sector banks ignored the strike, but services in one bank with more than 35 branches in the city were hit for five hours.Chavvi Mishra of Lalbagh said, “I needed a demand draft to pay my college fee, but my bank asked me to come tomorrow (Thursday). It is a tight situation, as tomorrow is the last day for fee submission.”Work at Life Insurance Corporation was also hit.