Even as the Ministry of Home Affairs has permitted resumption of e-commerce business in the country, many such companies have yet to resume delivery services in Kashmir on full scale.
At a time when the physical distancing is the norm and people prefer to shop online, the non-resumption of delivery service to Kashmir is annoying the customers here.
Online buyers said that most of companies continue to show Kashmir as “non-deliverable destination”.
Flipkart, Hopscotch, Amazon are not delivering products to Kashmir, while as some e-commerce firms have yet to open cash-on-delivery facilities.
“I booked a product where I gave my Srinagar address, the site showed it is not deliverable. But when same product was selected from Delhi address, it showed it would be delivered within two days. It is irony that these companies are delivering products in other places but Kashmir,” said Ajaz Ahmad, a Srinagar resident.
An executive of an online shopping company acknowledged that the companies shy away from resuming delivery services on full-scale to Kashmir despite the courier companies operating here assuring them delivery of items in areas other than containment zones.
President Kashmir Courier Companies Association, Qari Zahoor said that they have already conveyed their willingness to e-commerce companies for delivering their products. “But most of the companies so far haven’t resumed their operations. Some have resumed operations at a small level.”
He said that there are 20 courier companies operating in Kashmir who have already expressed their willingness to deliver the products.
e-commerce companies resumed full operations from May after the central government removed all restrictions on online retail as part of its plan for Lockdown 4.0.