The Preservation, Repair & Restoration work of the biggest post office building in India, Mumbai GPO, has been held up in bureaucratic web. The proposal to repair the heritage structure of Mumbai GPO Heritage Building, Grade I has been pending for approval of Postal Directorate for the last 16 months. RTI activist Anil Galgali has uncovered the lethargic, insensitive & apathy of Indian Postal Service attitude towards this issue.Apart from the 1000 employees, The lives of thousands of visitors to the building are also at stake.
Legal & buildings committee of Department of Post revealed in a RTI reply to Galgali that a proposal for sanctioning Rs 47 crores 58 lakh 52 thousand 560 for preservation, restoration & repair of the GPO building was put up on 29th January 2016. This plan was drafted by INTACH ie 'Indian National Trust for Art & Cultural Heritage', An organisation empanelled by the postal department. Although 15 to 20% escalation of project cost is expected per year, An amount of mere 30 lakhs has been sanctioned by the directorate. Even in this case, Proper administrative approval has not been forthcoming. Experts view and help of outside agency like renowned Architect Abha Narayan Lamba was also taken in the year 2008-2009 and recently help of ASI ( Archeological Survey of India) also availed for Preservation, Repair & Restoration work.
General Post office building holds a place of pride among the 633 heritage structures of Mumbai. But sadly, It also is among the four most dilapidated heritage structures, needing urgent work of Preservation, Repair & Restoration. In fact, the plasters & parts of the ceiling have been falling at intervals and the 1000 odd employees working from this century old building live in constant fear of collapse. A writ petition filed in 2012 on the issue has failed to awoke a response from the the Postal authorities, said Galgali.
GPO further informed Galgali that Many incidents of falling plaster, etc are happened in Mumbai GPO, fortunately no one was injured seriously. However, one serious incident of failing ceiling portion have already happened at Mumbai GPO premises. And injured person has filed Civil Suit under No. 4735/2012 against the Department of Posts. Court Case is subjudice for fixing vicarious responsibilities against the Postal Department.
Anil Galgali has written to Prime minister Narendra Modi requesting him to expedite the restoration of Mumbai GPO. Apart from the employees, The lives of thousands of visitors to the building are also at stake. He demanded an inquiry in to the inordinate delay in the much needed project.
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