Why is it in the news?

• The Bharati Branch Post Office at Bharati Station in Antarctica was inaugurated by the Chief Postmaster General Maharashtra Circle, along with the introduction of the new PIN code MH-1718, marking a significant development in India’s postal services in the polar region.

More about the news

• In 1984, India established its first post office in Antarctica at Dakshin Gangotri.
• However, Dakshin Gangotri was later submerged under ice during the late 1980s, leading to its decommissioning.
• On January 26, 1990, a new post office branch was established at India’s Maitri research station in Antarctica.
• Recently, the Bharati Branch Post Office was inaugurated at Bharati Station of Antarctica, accompanied by the introduction of a new PIN code, MH-1718.
• Maitri and Bharati Post Offices are research bases of India in Antarctica, located approximately 3,000 kilometres apart. Both post offices operate under the purview of the Goa Postal Division.
• Letters intended for Antarctica are routed through the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) in Goa, serving as a crucial hub for India’s polar endeavours.