Mumbai: GPO facelift reveals historical secrets

The monitoring deck from where British officers watched workers

The restoration of the General Post Office (GPO) building has thrown up some secrets. Hidden wooden panelling in a dome, a monitoring deck built by the British to keep an eye on the workforce, and a geometrical stone staircase leading to the postmaster general's quarters are some of them unearthed during the first phase of the restoration that was recently completed. This is for the first time that the iconic over-century-old building is seeing such massive restoration. A year after the restoration began, the GPO wings are getting restored one by one. Phase 1 saw the restoration of the West Wing of the building.

The hanging retro wooden lamps in Postmaster General Swati Pandey's cabin. Pics/Atul Kamble

"Carefully with the help of consultants Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), we are taking extreme care in restoring every bit of the building with the smallest of detail. The wood panelling, the brass handles, the door knobs, the teak roof panelling and all other stuff is being matched exactly as per English standards," Postmaster General, Mumbai Region Swati Pandey, who initiated the restoration project said. mid-day had first reported last year when the project had started. The West wing now does not have any partitions, blocks and false ceilings with high-pitched stone roof and hidden teak panelling.

Also read: After 30 years, iconic Mumbai General Post Office building to regain glory

Postmaster General Swati Pandey

Secrets unearthed

"Last week, while restoring a dome, we found that it had been made of fine teak panels that had been erroneously covered by RCC layers during one of the earlier repairs. This small dome is now being restored to its original glory," she said. "Behind one of the closed panels was a viewing deck, possibly built by the British to oversee the working staff and monitor them. We are now restoring the pathway and the deck as it could be used for heritage walks and we could get school kids and enthusiasts to show them around," she added.

The small dome made of fine teak panels that had been erroneously covered by RCC layers is now being restored to its original glory. The entire restoration will cost Rs 22 crore. Pics/Atul Kamble

"In the rear side of the building was a blocked geometrical stone staircase which led to the post master general's quarters. We have restored that too," she added. The post-master general's cabin has the original British-styled colour panel glass and circular, hanging retro wooden lamps with fans given matching wooden colour shades. "Once this wing is complete, work shall move to the front facade," she said.

What's iconic

The building is being restored by established conservation firm Savani Heritage. The iconic building was designed by British architect John Begg in 1904. Its construction was completed in March 1913 at a cost of Rs 18,09,000. Its dome is modelled on the Gol Gumbaz of Bijapur, Karnataka. As per the archives, the building measures about 1,20,000 square feet with an end-to-end length of 523 feet and a central hall with the dome rising to a height of 120 feet and a 65 feet diameter.