Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday wrote to Union Coomunications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw seeking heritage tag for the 126-year-old Jharsuguda Post Office building. He also wanted the building’s restoration, maintenance and re-operationalisation.
“I recently received a petition from Tankadhar Tripathy regarding re-operationalisation of Jharsuguda Post Office building. It is understood that the Jharsuguda Post Office was established in 1895 after the commissioning of Jharsuguda railway station on Bengal Nagpur Railway (BNR) line. This 126-year-old post office has played a pivotal role in the modern history of Jharsuguda since Indian freedom movement till its establishment as a major commercial hub in western Odisha,” Pradhan mentioned in the letter.
“I also appreciate India Post’s efforts to recognise Indian Postal service’s rich historical, social and cultural significance by declaring such old iconic post offices as heritage post offices and undertaking suitable restoration and maintenance activities. I understand that presently 36 such heritage post office buildings are being maintained by India Post across Bihar, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Kerala, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal,” he said. “I seek your personal intervention in directing officials of India Post for declaration of Jharsuguda Post Office as a ‘Heritage Post Office Building’ and undertaking suitable efforts for its restoration and maintenance,” Pradhan’s letter concluded.