Decoding the Pin Code - Logic behind the pincode

Decoding the Pin Code
The concept of letter, posts are declining as the day progresses. Those are the golden days where we write a letter to our grandma staying the other place and eagerly waiting for their reply. The post cards and the way we write a big letter within the space provided by the postal authority is still a big task than posting a tweet in the twitter. The creativity which we showcase in our 25paise post card can never be replaced with the ones which we share in FB / WhatsApp / any other medium. 

Hand painted customized greetings for Diwali, Pongal etc in the normal post card brings a lot more joy. We have to bring back those moments by reviving the post card tradition atleast during the festivals & occasions .
Ok, coming to the subject matter of this post.  While sending a letter,  it is customary to write the PIN CODES in the address field. All that we have learnt is the PIN is the acronym of POSTAL INDEX NUMBER. But quoting the PIN CODE has a lot more significance that what we think of.
The PIN CODE consists of 6 digits and there is logic behind these 6 digits. For all my examples below, I will be using the PIN CODE 600 017 (T.Nagar) since it is easier for us to remember.
The six digits of the pin code can be divided into 4 categories:


1
     1. FIRST DIGIT : Region

All the states have been categorized into 8 regions and a separate region for Army Postal Service. Given below the list of regions:

First Digit
Region
States Covered
1
Northern
Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir
2
Northern
Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand
3
Western
Rajasthan, Gujarat, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli
4
Western
Goa, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh
5
Southern
Andhra Pradesh, Telungana and Karnataka
6
Southern
Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Lakshadweep
7
Eastern
Odisha, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Assam, Sikkim
8
Eastern
Bihar and Jharkand
9
APS
Army Postal Service
In our Example (600017), First digit 6 represent Southern Region.
     2. SECOND DIGIT(First Two Digits) : State / Circle

The first two digits together used to represent the State / Postal Circle.  We have 28 such categories which is given below:
First 2 / 3 Digits of PIN
Postal Circle
11
Delhi
12 and 13
Haryana
14 to 15
Punjab
16
Chandigarh
17
Himachal Pradesh
18 to 19
Jammu and Kashmir
20 to 28
Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand
30 to 34
Rajasthan
36 to 39
Gujarat
40
Goa
40 to 44
Maharastra
45 to 48
Madhya Pradesh
49
Chhattisgarh
50 to 53
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
56 to 59
Karnataka
60 to 64
Tamil Nadu
67 to 69
Kerala
682
Lakshadweep (Islands)
70 to 74
West Bengal
744
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
75 to 77
Odisha
78
Assam
79
Arunachal Pradesh
793, 794, 783123
Meghalaya
795
Manipur
796
Mizoram
799
Tripura
80 to 85
Bihar and Jharkhand
In our Example (600017), first two digits 60 represent Tamilnadu.
     3. THIRD DIGIT (First Three Digits) : District

The first three digits together used to represent the Sorting district.  Each and every state has different categorization. For Tamil Nadu, we have 30 such divisions.
Index No.
(First Three Digits of PIN Code)
District Covered
600
Chennai
601,602
Tiruvallur
603,631
Kanchipuram
605,606
Villupuram  (including Pondicherry)
606
Tiruvannamalai
607,608
Cuddalore
609,610
Tiruvarur (including Karaikal)
611
Nagapattinam
612,613,614
Thanjavur
620,621
Tiruchirapalli
621
Perambalur
621
Ariyalur
622
Pudukkottai
623
Ramanathapuram
624
Dindigul
625
Madurai
625
Theni
626
Virudhunagar
627
Tirunelveli
628
Tuticorin
629
Nagercoil
630
Sivaganga
632
Vellore
635,636
Dharmapuri
636
Salem
637
Namakkal
638
Erode
639
Karur
641,642
Coimbatore
643
Nilgiris
In our Example (600017), first three digits 600 represent Chennai.
     4. LAST THREE DIGITS (4,5,&6): The Specific Post Office / Location in the District

The last 3 digits represents the specific location / post office in the particular district. Given below is the complete list of codes for post offices in Chennai.
Last 3 Digits
Post Office / Location
Pincode
001
Chennai G P O
600001
002
Anna Salai H O
600002
003
Park Town
600003
004
Mylapore
600004
005
Triplicane
600005
006
Greams Road
600006
007
Vepery
600007
008
Egmore
600008
009
Fort St. George
600009
010
Kilpauk
600010
011
Perambur
600011
012
Perambur Barracks
600012
013
Royapuram
600013
014
Royapettah
600014
015
Saidapet
600015
016
St. Thomas Mount H O
600016
017
T Nagar H O
600017
018
Teynampet
600018
019
Tiruvottiyur
600019
020
Adyar
600020
021
Washermanpet
600021
022
Raj Bhavan
600022
023
Ayanavaram
600023
024
Kodambakkam
600024
025
Engineering College
600025
026
Vadapalani
600026
027
Meenambakkam
600027
028
R A Puram
600028
029
Aminjikarai
600029
030
Sheynoynagar
600030
031
Chetpet H O
600031
032
Guindy
600032
033
West Mambalam
600033
034
Nungambakkam
600034
035
Nandanam
600035
036
I I T
600036
037
Officers Training Academy
600037
038
I C F Colony
600038
039
Vyasarpadi
600039
040
Anna Nagar
600040
041
Thiruvanmiyur
600041
042
Velachery
600042
043
Pallavaram
600043
044
Chromepet
600044
045
Tambaram H O
600045
046
Tambarm I A F
600046
047
Tambaram Sanatorium
600047
048
Vandalur
600048
049
Villivakkam
600049
050
Padi
600050
051
Madhavaram Milk Colony
600051
052
Red Hills
600052
053
Ambattur H O
600053
054
Avadi Camp H O
600054
055
Avadi I A F
600055
056
Poonamallee
600056
057
Ennore Thermal Station
600057
058
Ambattur Industrial Estate
600058
059
Tambaram East
600059
060
Madhavaram
600060
061
Nanganallur
600061
062
Sathyamurthi Nagar
600062
063
Srinivasa Nagar
600063
064
Chitlapakkam
600064
065
C R P Camp Avadi
600065
066
Puzhal
600066
067
Sholavaram
600067
068
Manali
600068
069
Kundrathur
600069
070
Anakaputhur
600070
071
Kamaraj Nagar
600071
072
Pattabiram
600072
073
Selaiyur
600073
074
Polichalur
600074
075
Pammal
600075
076
Korattur R S
600076
077
Thiruverkadu
600077
078
K K Nagar
600078
079
Sowcarpet
600079
080
Korattur
600080
081
Tondiarpet
600081
082
Jawahar Nagar
600082
083
Ashok Nagar
600083
084
Flowers Road
600084
085
Kotturpuram
600085
086
Gopalapuram
600086
087
Alwarthirunagar
600087
088
Adambakkam
600088
089
Nandambakkam
600089
090
Besant Nagar
600090
091
Madipakkam
600091
092
Virugambakkam
600092
093
Saligramam
600093
094
Choolaimedu
600094
095
Jaffarkhanpet
600095
096
Perungudi
600096
097
Ekattuthangal
600097
098
SIDCO Estate
600098
099
Kolathur
600099
100
Thirusoolam Village
600100
101
Anna Nagar West Extn
600101
102
Anna Nagar East
600102
103
Manali New Town
600103
104
High Court
600104
105
Ethiraj Salai
600105
106
Arumbakkam
600106
107
Koyambedu
600107
108
Broadway
600108
109
Railway Car Shed Complex, Avadi
600109
110
Ponniamman Medu
600110
111
Ayyappanagar
600111
112
Choolai
600112
113
Taramani
600113
114
Pazhavanthangal
600114
115
Injambakkam
600115
116
Porur
600116
117
Old Pallavaram
600117
118
Kodungaiyur
600118
119
Sholinganallur
600119
120
North Chennai Thermal PP
600120
122
Mangadu
600122
123
Nazarethpettai
600123
124
Thirumazhisai
600124
In our Example (600017), last three digits 017 represent T.Nagar.

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