Paradip, July 10: More than eight years after it was shut down, the village post office at Dhinkia, which was once the nerve centre of the resistance movement against Posco steel project, reopened yesterday.

Local people faced problems following suspension of postal services at the villages under the proposed Posco project's area.

"Because of disturbed situation and law and order problem, the postal department had closed down the Dhinkia village post office. As the situation has turned normal now, we have reopened the post office following public demand," said inspector of Kujang branch post office Dibyajyoti Tripathy.

The resistance movement-hit area had remained out of bounds for government officials when the anti-Posco movement was at its peak. The village post office had become one of its casualties. The rural post office catered to the needs of Dhinkia, Trilochanpur and Gobindpur villages. People were forced to depend on Kujang branch post office, about 12km from Dhinkia.

On April 28, 2007, the post office was closed after the postmaster officiating in the rural branch had been put under suspension. The then postmaster was charged with 15 criminal cases for his alleged involvement with an outfit espousing the cause of would-be-displaced persons of the village. The villagers did not allow his replacement to take charge, leaving the post office closed, said Tripathy.

Local people faced a lot of hardship following the post office's closure. To receive a letter, they had to travel to Kujang. On production of identity proof, they could receive the letters and money orders. People had called upon the department for resumption of postal services. "We are happy to find the resumption of the postal services," said local resident Ranjan Bardhan.

"It was hectic yesterday after the village post office reopened at the gram panchayat building. About a dozen of registered post and speed post letters were issued. Besides, people also dispatched money orders. Many turned up just out of curiosity. About six postal saving accounts were also opened," said Dhinkia village post office's postmaster Subhashree Behera.