Delhi’s postal heritage tells two very different stories. At Gol Dak Khana, artisans breathe new life into the colonial-era landmark, restoring its grandeur brick by brick. But in Civil Lines, another historic post office is in disrepair – falling apart, forgotten, and left at the mercy of time.
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Gol Dak Khana: Rebirth of a historical site
At Rotary No. 50, where the five main roads of Central Delhi intersect, stands the Gol Dak Khana, a circular landmark that has long preserved the postal memory of the city. Even today, as honking cars whiz around the iconic structure, the colonial-era New Delhi General Post Office (GPO) continues to function – its staff sorting parcels and letters while navigating the web of scaffolding pillars holding up the building’s roof.
But, for the first time in decades, Gol Dak Khana is undergoing a full-scale restoration. The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), which has been entrusted with the project, is reviving the building brick-by-brick, arch-by-arch, and carefully removing what experts call “careless repairs” over the decades.
alexandra place
Built in 1934 as Alexandra Place, the complex once housed the Viceroy’s Camp Post Office, the main center of colonial communications. Designed by Robert Tor Russell – creator of Delhi’s iconic structures such as Connaught Place and Teen Murti Bhawan – it was part of Edwin Lutyens’ grand plan for New Delhi. However, over time, Russell’s original architectural skills were buried under decades of haphazard repairs – cement plastering, patchwork roofing, and temporary additions to the historic structure.
Spread over 9,000 square metres, Gol Dak Khana is not just one building (as it appears to drivers from the outside) but 12 interconnected blocks, including a central hall, staff quarters and the director’s bungalow. The complex became synonymous with pin code 110001, which originated here and remains an important base for ministries and offices in Central Delhi.
On a recent visit by HT, the director’s bungalow – a Lutyens-style structure located within the complex – had recently been given new lime plaster, restored terrazzo floors and waterproof tiled roofs. The chimneys and fireplaces, once neglected, are now renovated. The gardens adjacent to the bungalow, which was once the residence of colonial officials and later postal directors, will be finalized and replanted.
“Earlier the agencies used cement, bitumen and waterproofing sheets, which trapped moisture and increased rot,” said an official. “We have removed all that and gone back to traditional materials – lime mortar, terracotta tiles and breathable surfaces – to restore the structure to the way it was originally meant to be.”
Meanwhile, work is still underway on the main circular block. A dozen artisans peel away layers of cement to reveal Russell’s original form. Inside, relics of postal history – princely cast-iron letter boxes, pressing machines, filing cabinets – await their place in a renovated museum. “We have a large collection of postal artefacts and the idea is to display them here,” said a senior GPO official.
a living post office
Unlike many heritage sites, Gol Dak Khana has no remains. It remains a busy post office handling savings accounts, postal insurance, thousands of parcels and millions of letters every day. Restoration is being done block by block to avoid disruption in busy works.
Our approach is not limited to fixing roofs and walls. INTACH plans to restore the library, refurbish the clubhouse, landscape gardens and add guest amenities. A heritage-sensitive roofing system – laid with brick tiles, waterproofing and concrete – is being constructed to ensure long-term sustainability.
This project is also about civic memory. For decades, Gol Dak Khana was a social hub – where people came not only to send letters but also to meet, fix appointments and make use of the limited telephones available.
An INTACH official stressed, “This is not just about saving a building.” “This is about preserving the story of Delhi. Gol Dak Khana was at the heart of the city’s communications. Its restoration gives it a future while respecting its past.”
Today, as artisans plaster the domed roofs and workers paint the colonial gardens, Gol Dak Khana is ready for a second life – a rare example of conservation where heritage is being treated not as a relic, but as a functional and living part of the city’s life.
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Civil Lines Post Office: A story of decline
Gol Dak Khana represents revival, the condition of Civil Lines Post Office reflects decay. Located near Shamnath Marg, adjacent to the Delhi Assembly in North Delhi, the building is a 19th-century structure, a rare example of early colonial architecture, where European building styles were adapted to local conditions.
It once relayed mail between Metcalfe House and the Imperial Council. Today, it lies abandoned – its facade is crumbling, the arched entrance is crumbling, the roof is collapsing in parts, and some of its yellow sections have been completely overtaken by wild growth.
Built in the 1850s, Civil Lines Post Office was one of the earliest postal stations in colonial Delhi. Metcalfe House and its proximity to the British military camp at Civil Lines made it an important part of the colonial bureaucratic machinery. But once a new building came up in the 1920s, the old structure was removed to be used as a guest house. Eventually, it became completely deserted.
For decades, locals said they had watched the structure fall into ruin.
“We have referred to it as ‘Bungalow No. 3’, or simply ‘Bungalow’. We have never seen it open in the last five decades. It may have served as a postal station in the 19th century. When we were children, very senior officials of the postal services were allotted this complex,” said Ashok Kumar, a long-time resident.
Now, its roofs are caving in, lithophyte trees have grown on its walls, and its verandahs have become overgrown with forests.
‘In danger’
INTACH has placed the building in the “heritage at risk” category, warning that it is a rare specimen of early colonial postal architecture.
The entry states, “The Old Post Office dates back to the 1850s…It is a rare example of the early colonial style, surviving in its original design to this day. Its proximity to the Delhi Assembly and Metcalfe House also reflects its importance. The structure has been derelict and requires urgent attention…It has high potential for adaptive reuse because of its historic value and local benefit.”
Yet no restoration plan has been announced.
Even the new Civil Lines post office from the 1920s, which is still operational, is deteriorating.
Staff at India Post station (pin code: 110054) on Civil Lines said that due to some repair work, several offices have been shifted to the adjacent building. A large amount of mail is sorted here, as the building still serves as a central processing center. During an on-site investigation, HT found that several parts of the building had become dangerous, locked and filled with garbage. There are heaps of garbage in the streets and backyards.
Employees admit that wholesale layoffs are ongoing here, but many offices have already moved next door. A postal employee said, “Some parts of the building are too unsafe to use.”
Compare with Gol Dak Khana
The neglect of civil lines is in stark contrast to the efforts of Gol Dak Khana – just 9 kilometers away. While INTACH and the Department of Posts are investing crores to restore the latter, there is no sign of intervention.
Without immediate attention, Delhi could lose one of its oldest postal relics forever, heritage experts have warned. According to historian and author Swapna Liddle, the best restoration stories are those where historic structures are not only repaired but continue to serve the purpose for which they were originally designed. “For example, post office buildings are living heritage, living examples of a particular era. Since they are still in use, keeping them in good condition as long as they are beyond repair is far better than letting them decay, only to demolish and rebuild. Such restoration ensures continuity in both function and history,” Liddle said.
As Delhi invests in restoring some of its colonial sites, others like the Civil Lines Post Office are quietly vanishing, their history swallowed by weeds and neglect. The once proud dispatch center is today on the verge of extinction.
