Telemail service replaces the Telegram

by Lakshme Parasururaman

The Postal Services Ministry will launch a Telemail service shortly in place of Telegrams, said Minister Jeevan Kumarathunga.

The Ministry has instructed the Public Administration Ministry to accept the Telemail as a legal document in the future.

It had been decided to introduce the new mail service from October this year. The new system will convey messages via the internet. The messages will be delivered to the respective address from the nearest post office.

The Telegram, the legally recognised document was in use in Sri Lanka during the past 157 years.

Ministry sources said that following the development of Information Technology the internet has come into wide use which has resulted in a lack of interest in the telegraph service.

It has been estimated that a telegram costs around Rs.169.82 cents and with the public showing little or no interest, despite the high cost, the Ministry decided to replace it with the Telemail service in the future.