Sasaram: At a time when most commercial establishments continue to accept cash alongside digital payments, post offices in Rohtas have made UPI mandatory for registered post charges and discontinued the ordinary postal option, leaving many customers, particularly in rural areas, struggling to access basic postal services and bearing additional costs.Sasaram head post office postmaster Anil Kumar Singh confirmed that registration fees canonlybepaid through UPI and that cash payments arenolongeraccepted at counters. The move has troubled customers who do not use smartphones or lack access to UPI-enabled banking services.An employee at the head post office said several customers visit daily to send articles through registered post but areforced to return after being unable to make digital payments. The problem is more acute in rural areas, where many villagers, particularly senior citizens, still depend on cash transactions.The issue came to the fore on Saturday when Utkarsh Paswan, a senior citizen, visited the post office to send an article by registered post. He was informed that the Rs 80 registration fee could not be paid in cash and had to be paid through UPI. As he did not have access to the facility, he sought help from other customers, but no one came forward. He eventually returned without sending the article.The incident has highlighted the challenges faced by people who rely on cash and have limited access to digital payment systems. Residents said that while UPI has become widely used, it cannot be assumed that every post office customer, especially in rural areas, owns a smartphone, has internet access or holds a UPI-enabled bank account.The issue is particularly challenging for elderly residents, daily-wage workers and people from economically weaker sections who may not be familiar with digital payments. For them, the inability to pay registration charges in cash can effectively deny access to a basic postal service.Residents also pointed out that alternatives are limited. They claimed that sending an article through speed post can cost around Rs 55 making it a relatively expensive option for those who simply want to send a routine postal article.Residents said digital payment facilities should not come at the cost of excluding customers with limited access to technology. They said the issue is not merely about choosing between cash and UPI, but about being able to access an essential postal service without being turned away for lack of a digital payment option.
