What is 24 and 48-hour speed post? Delivery time, charges, and availability explained

The Department of Posts on Tuesday launched three premium services: 24-hour and 48-hour delivery guarantees for urgent and time-sensitive shipments. Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia launched the 24 Speed Post, 24 Speed Post Parcel and 48 Speed Post services. 

Speaking at the launch event, Scindia said that this marks a renewal for India Post. He further said that the e-commerce market is expected to grow to ₹30 lakh crore by 2030, almost three times from ₹11 lakh at present. 

Here's what we know about the 24- and 48-hour speed post services

Where will the 24-hour and 48-hour Speed Post services be available?

These services are currently being rolled out in 6 cities. These include New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. The deliveries will take place through dedicated processing and priority air transport to meet delivery timelines. 

What are the key benefits of these services?

According to Chief Postmaster General Ganesh V Sawaleshwarkar, the services will provide customers with faster, more reliable and time-bound delivery. Under these services, consignments would be delivered on Sundays as well as holidays via India Post. 

Under the 24 Speed Post service, next-day delivery (D+1) is guaranteed for urgent and time-sensitive consignments. The 24 and 48 Speed Post services will provide assured D+1 and D+2 delivery timelines via dedicated processing windows and priority air transmission. 

They also include features like OTP-based secure delivery, end-to-end tracking with SMS alerts, buy now pay later (BNPL) facility for business customers, free pickup for bulk bookings, API integration and centralised billing, and a money-back guarantee if there is a delay. 

A minimum weight of 50 grams will be accepted for 24 Speed Post, and 500 grams will be accepted for 24 Speed Post Parcel. The 24 Speed Post service will be limited to documents as of now. 

How can customers book 24-hour Speed Post delivery?

Customers can book the next-day delivery via India Post by visiting their designated post offices in 6 metros. In case of bulk consignments, you can visit a designated Bulk Booking Centre (BPC) or franchisee identified as the "24 Speed Post" booking centre. 

Bookings must be made before 4 pm at identified post offices and up to 6 pm at BPC/BNPL centres to ensure same-day departure. Customers can also use the India Post "Click and Book" service or the Post Office mobile app to schedule pick-ups. 

It is advisable to place the article inside a specifically designed pouch or use a designated sticker, which is given after the payment of a premium tariff. 

What are the charges for 24-hour and 48-hour Speed Post services?

Pricing for the 24 Speed Post services will start at ₹38 for local deliveries that weigh up to 50 grams, and will go up to ₹186 for consignments weighing 251-500 grams for distances more than 2,000 km, according to a report in Hindustan Times.

For Speed Post, one has to pay ₹200 for packages that weigh up to 500 grams and ₹990 for parcels weighing 4.5-5 kg. Moreover, a registration fee of ₹5 per item, including GST, is applicable.

Will customers get compensation in case of delayed deliveries? 

Full postage refund is guaranteed as compensation if the D+1 delivery is not met. The compensation can be claimed online within 7 days.