A colonial-era post office could soon be the address of the latest Taj hotel in Sri Lanka. Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), the operator of Taj brand of hotels, wants to convert the iconic post office into a hotel and has approached the island nation’s government for permission.
The post office, located in the city of Nuwara Eliya, is renowned for its Tudor Revival architecture and is a landmark tourist point. The site is close to Sita Eliya (also known as Seetha Eliya), the place believed to be where Ravana had held Sita in captivity.
Last week, Sri Lankan Cabinet spokesman Bandula Gunawardena said that the post office was in a highly dilapidated state and cannot be renovated or painted. It also can’t be maintained by the government. So, the government has decided to hand it over to the Taj Group.
Gunawardena also said that the Taj Group has submitted a proposal, which is awaiting clearance from the Presidential Secretariat and further details would be revealed once the project gets off the ground.
Emails sent to IHCL did not elicit any response.
IHCL already has two five-star properties in the island nation – Taj Bentota Resort & Spa and Taj Samudra Colombo.
This year till September, more than 230,000 Indian tourists, constituting 20% of the total tourist arrivals, visited the island nation. During early October, Sri Lanka waived off visa fees for Indians and tourists from six other countries, as part of its efforts to boost tourist arrivals and help rebuild the island nation’s battered economy following last year’s financial crash.
The post office building was constructed in 1894 by the British. It is a Tudor-style two-storey red-brick building with a clock spire. In 2012, the upper floor of the post office – which was the former living quarters of the post master – was converted into tourist accommodation.
A summer retreat of the Britishers, Nuwara Eliya was dubbed Little England and the town is mostly famous for the tea production. Apart from the Sita Temple and the tea plantations, Horton Plains National Park and Gregory Lake are among other tourist attractions here.
On December 26, 1990, Sri Lanka Post had issued a Sri Lankan rupees 10 stamp with a photograph of the post office, to commemorate World Postal Day. Later in June 2017, the United Postal Trade Union went on a three-day strike against the government’s plans to privatise Nuwara Eliya, Kandy and Galle Fort post offices.