Kasaragod post office in the dark for 8 months after short circuit, staff rely on mobile phone flashlights

Kasaragod: For the past eight months, the three employees at the Ramdas Nagar Post Office in Kasaragod's Madhur panchayat have been using the flashlight on their mobile phones to examine documents and carry out transactions after the office was left without electricity.

The irony is hard to miss. A post office under the Union government's Department of Posts is functioning without power in a building owned by the BJP-ruled Madhur grama panchayat, forcing staff to work in near-darkness, particularly during the monsoon, while customers contend with the lack of basic facilities.

The post office, located at Kudal, about 7 km from Kasaragod town, operates from a room in a panchayat-owned building. Residents said the office has been without electricity since December 2025. However, panchayat president Sujnani disputed the claim, maintaining that the disruption began only four months ago in March, following a short circuit caused by overloading.

"The building has four rooms. The short circuit occurred because of excess load. We have provided these rooms free of cost to the post office, an AYUSH facility, a library and Vanitha Bhavan," she said.

Questioning the need for media attention, the president said: "What's the point in giving news? Don't we know we have to fix the power?"

According to residents, the absence of electricity has left the office without lights and fans for months. The Ramdas Nagar Post Office is staffed by a postmaster and two postmen and handles a significant volume of financial and postal transactions every day.

The situation becomes particularly difficult during the monsoon. Located at the rear of the building, the office receives little natural light or ventilation. Staff members often have no option but to switch on their mobile phone flashlights to verify documents, maintain records and complete routine office work.

The summer months were equally challenging. With fans lying idle, employees worked in humid conditions and frequently stepped outside for relief before returning to their desks.

Residents said panchayat authorities were informed about the issue months ago, but the problem remains unresolved. Narayanan, a resident, said the situation was difficult to comprehend. "It is shocking that employees in such an important government office have to work using mobile phone lights. We saw the difficulties they faced during the summer. Even after all these months, the problem remains unresolved," he said.

Explaining the delay, the panchayat president said the repair work would cost more than Rs 60,000 and could not be undertaken immediately using the local body's own funds. According to Sujnani, the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has recommended separate electricity meters for each of the four rooms in the building. "That would require around ₹60,000, but we have a limit of ₹10,000 for spending our own fund," she said.

She said the panchayat must prepare a project and obtain approval from the District Planning Committee (DPC) before proceeding with the work.

To be sure, the panchayat has not yet got an estimate from the KSEB or submitted the project to the DPC. The president said the proposal would be taken up by the panchayat by mid-August.

Until then, one of Kasaragod's busy post offices continues to function under mobile flashlights.