The Department of Posts of India has launched the delivery of mail and parcels by drone on the Mandi–Rehardhar route in the state of Himachal Pradesh. This was reported by
IANS, a partner of TV BRICS, citing the country’s Ministry of Communications.
According to the ministry, the initiative is being implemented under the leadership of Jyotiraditya Scindia, Minister of Communications and Minister for Development of the North Eastern Region. It is aimed at improving postal delivery in remote mountainous areas while increasing the speed and efficiency of postal services.
“A journey that earlier took hours through difficult terrain will now be completed in just 7 minutes with real-time tracking. What makes this environmentally sustainable initiative particularly meaningful is that it emerged directly from feedback shared by our Postal Assistants,” the minister wrote on social media.
The first operational route connects the Mandi Head Post Office with the Rehardhar Post Office. The distance between the two locations is approximately 12 kilometres, and delivery by conventional transport takes more than two hours.
Around 150 drone delivery routes are expected to be launched across the states of Himachal Pradesh and Assam over the next two to three months. The Mandi–Rehardhar corridor will serve as the pilot phase of the project.
The ministry stated that the drone system will enable real-time tracking of shipments, reduce delays caused by difficult terrain, and provide a more sustainable logistics solution. It added that the initiative will improve access to postal services for local communities, contributing to greater social and economic integration.