The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : New GPO building to be ready in four months

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jan 07, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

New GPO building to be ready in four months

T. Ramakrishnan

Construction of the delivery hall in the basement and the main transaction hall is over In the ongoing second phase, two more floors to accommodate the administrative wing and foreign post wing are being built

CHENNAI: The second and final phase of work on the new General Post Office building will be completed in four months.

In the first phase, the construction of the delivery hall in the basement and the main transaction hall comprising multi-purpose counters were completed.

In the ongoing second phase, two more floors to accommodate the administrative wing and foreign post wing are being built.

As per schedule

"The deadline for completion of the entire work is May. The execution is going on as per schedule," says Vatsala Raghu, Principal Chief Postmaster General of Tamil Nadu Circle.

"It is easier to raise a new building than re-constructing a structure as we have to keep in mind the heritage value of the old building," she says.

Façade retained

Not only the façade of the old building has been retained but also the interior of the public hall designed in tune with the heritage significance of the GPO building. Chandeliers, lamps and stained glasses have been put up.

As the wooden flooring in the old building was a cause for the spread of the fire in October 2000 (when the GPO was ravaged), the flooring of the main public hall was laid, using marbles, which had a wooden finish.

Fire safety

The postal authorities have provided elaborate fire safety measures. A sump having the capacity of one-lakh litres has been constructed. A wet raiser system is being installed for the entire building. A fire alarm will also be provided. While the computerisation of counter operations has been completed, the back-office work is being computerised. Civil work on the new building began in April last year after the burnt portion of the old GPO building was dismantled. The cost of the entire work has been estimated at Rs. 3.6 crores. On completion of the first phase, the Communications Minister, Dayanidhi Maran, declared open the GPO in November.

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