Residents of Jodhpur Park were surprised to find the local post office under lock and key on Monday. A notice announced that because of “dilapidated and alarming condition” of the building, the department had been “compelled to shift the Jodhpur Park post office… temporarily to Golf Green post office”.
“The building’s condition is horrible and dangerous. We will carry out minimum damage control. Full restoration is beyond us, because of the ownership status. But we have to do something so that our staff and customers are safe in the monsoon. Golf Green is a spacious post office and can accommodate them,” postmaster general, Kolkata, Niraj Kumar told The Telegraph. He promised that the mailbox in front of the post office would continue to be cleared for delivery.
While the department undertakes repairs of the two-storeyed building that houses the post office on the ground floor, customers will have to trudge to the Golf Green market complex, about a kilometre away, and climb 22 steps to the first floor.
Bankimchandra Dey, a senior citizen, had come to book a speed post. “Golf Green is off route for me,” he sighed. S.N. Kolay, 82, had come to withdraw funds from his savings bank account and on seeing the notice, headed for Golf Green. “The reason for the shift is compelling. We have to adjust,” he shrugged.
The first day threw up teething problems at the new address. “We have been promised two counters. But we cannot start work till we get the network link,” said one of the 12 employees of the Jodhpur Park post office working at Golf Green now.
Bappa Das of Lake Gardens who had come to withdraw his mother’s monthly income scheme amount had to go back empty-handed. “I read the notice in Jodhpur Park and came to Golf Green. I was told since the Golf Green computers don’t have access to my mother’s scanned signature, her PAN card was needed. After getting it from home, I am being told to come another day,” he complained to the Jodhpur Park staff members, busy unpacking inside. They assured him of service once their own computers would work.
The post office, the oldest structure in Jodhpur Park, is in a tight embrace of banyan trees. Chunks are missing from the walls. The employees are relieved that attending office is no longer a risk to life and limb.
“In the monsoon, water dripped everywhere. Last year, we put up plastic sheets overhead and had to cover the files before leaving. We had to place bricks on the floor to step on as water would accumulate. Once a snake had slithered in. Electrical short circuits were a regular occurence. Computers crashed regularly. Most ceiling fans were defunct. Imagine our plight without fans in this heat! ” an employee said.
The 12.5 cottah property is owned by The Bengal Secretariat Cooperative Land Mortgage Bank and Housing Society which wants to develop the prime land at the entrance of Jodhpur Park. “We are a cooperative society which purchased the locality in 1947. The roads are built by us. We were set to develop the plot when a member took the matter to court. The case is in the final stages of hearing in the Supreme Court,” said secretary Shyamalendu Bikash Ghosh.
He said the society had asked the post office to shift on receiving requests for repair. “The case is sub judice and we are in favour of its demolition.”
But he clarified that the post office was an integral part of Jodhpur Park. “We had come to an agreement with the postal department to give them space on the first floor as soon as we got the new building ready but the case stalled everything.”
Postmaster general Kumar hopes that repairs would be over before the Puja.
Bappa Das of Lake Gardens who had come to withdraw his mother’s monthly income scheme amount had to go back empty-handed. “I read the notice in Jodhpur Park and came to Golf Green. I was told since the Golf Green computers don’t have access to my mother’s scanned signature, her PAN card was needed. After getting it from home, I am being told to come another day,” he complained to the Jodhpur Park staff members, busy unpacking inside. They assured him of service once their own computers would work.
The post office, the oldest structure in Jodhpur Park, is in a tight embrace of banyan trees. Chunks are missing from the walls. The employees are relieved that attending office is no longer a risk to life and limb.
“In the monsoon, water dripped everywhere. Last year, we put up plastic sheets overhead and had to cover the files before leaving. We had to place bricks on the floor to step on as water would accumulate. Once a snake had slithered in. Electrical short circuits were a regular occurrence. Computers crashed regularly. Most ceiling fans were defunct. Imagine our plight without fans in this heat! ” an employee said.
The 12.5 cottah property is owned by The Bengal Secretariat Cooperative Land Mortgage Bank and Housing Society which wants to develop the prime land at the entrance of Jodhpur Park. “We are a cooperative society which purchased the locality in 1947. The roads are built by us. We were set to develop the plot when a member took the matter to court. The case is in the final stages of hearing in the Supreme Court,” said secretary Shyamalendu Bikash Ghosh.
He said the society had asked the post office to shift on receiving requests for repair. “The case is sub judice and we are in favour of its demolition.”
But he clarified that the post office was an integral part of Jodhpur Park. “We had come to an agreement with the postal department to give them space on the first floor as soon as we got the new building ready but the case stalled everything.”
Postmaster general Kumar hopes that repairs would be over before the Puja.
