(An old photo of the CTO Building with Flora Fountain)
Central Telegraph Office, Mumbai – A Heritage Building
Yesterday, 17th June 2013, I was in Mumbai to attend a meeting of the Telegraph workers and was staying in the Inspection Quarters in the Central Telegraph Office. I had stayed there earlier also, but this time I got the chance to have an overall view of the same.
The CTO Mumbai is a beautiful building constructed in the medieval Italian style, the same as that of the Victoria Terminal (VT ) Railway Station ( now Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminal – CST), The Reserve Bank of India, Municipal Building etc. all situated near and around the Fountain. The building was inaugurated in 1870 for accommodating the General Post Office. Consequent to the rapid growth of telegraph services after it was introduce in India in 1850, this building was converted to Central Telegraph Office in 1909 when the GPO was shifted to the present GPO building. It was built from Porbander and Kurla stones. The comrades of CTO also told stones were brought from Rajasthan also. The huge pillars, windows, doors are all decorated with beautiful carvings on stone which even now have not lost their beauty even after about one and half century. The walls are very thick just like the old forts.
Adjacent to the CTO are the other BSNL and MTNL buildings as also the VSNL building which is now owned by the Tata Telecommunications, which are constructed later.
Our comrades there told me that what the Instrument Room (IR) in the CTO looked like about two-three decades earlier. There will be about 200 – 300 telegraphists working at the same time in the very large hall and the sound of the telegraph instruments operating was a special experience. Thousands and thousands of telegrams were sent and received. The business to a great extent depended upon these messages. While I walked in the area, I saw that almost all big banks like Reserve Bank, State Bank, Maharashtra State Bank and a lot of other banks are situated nearby. May be the closeness to the CTO was the reason.
But the situation at present in the CTO is completely changed. The introduction of new technologies in the field of communications like mobiles, e-mails, SMS, internet etc. have resulted in to the marginalisation of telegraph / telegram service. At present only about 5,000 telegrams are booked. The Navy, Bank like ICICI and many people still use the service. Hence there is no justification to close the telegram services.
The CTO Mumbai is a heritage building. At present, in addition to the telegraph, Customer Service Centre is functioning there. The workers, though reduced from the earlier 3,000 or so to 800 due to retirement, transfers and no-recruitment, are very emotional about the proposal of the BSNL to close the telegram services. They expressed their anger in the meeting held and demanded that the services should not be stopped. I assured them that the Forum and BSNL Employees Union have strongly opposed the wrong decision and have demanded that the telegram services should continue. All efforts will be made to ensure that at least skeleton telegram services are maintained not only in Mumbai, but in all major centres.
I was told that the DOT is trying to take over the building. Some of the DOT offices are already functioning there. It is not the question who owns the building whether, BSNL or DOT, but that that this heritage building should not be handed over to the corporate vultures, wh0, I am told, have already their eyes on the building.
VAN Namboodiri's Blog 
Sir,
My Grandfather, Mr Greene, was the Superintendent of Telegraphs in Mumbai. He lived on the top floor of the CTO, and my Mother had very fond memories from the 1930’s there. She said that they played tennis on the wide verandas or terrace up near the roof. I visited Mumbai a few years ago but sadly was not allowed in to see the building. Did you stay on the top floor?, if so, do you have any photographs that you would care to share.
Thank you
Henry
Thank you for the information. I have been on the top floor, but do not have any photographs. Next time when you come to Mumbai please contact the union leaders there. VAN Namboodiri
Sir, that is very kind of you. I am sure that Family members will be over in the not too distant future.
Henry
Sir,
My brother Henry Davies corresponded with you in 2014 about our grandfather Hubert Greene who was the superintendent of Telegraphs in Mumbai in the 1930s during which time it was also his family home and where my mother grew up. I shall be in Mumbai from November 2nd to 4th and wonder if there is any way I could visit the top floor where my mother said she lived. Is there a contact you could put me in touch with ?
Thank you,
Nicola .
Dear Mr.Nicola, I am very happy to receive your message. BSNL Employees Union tried its best to keep alive the Telegraphs service, but the government closed it. The Mumbai CTO building is there and is in good condition. I am in Calicut, Kerala and may not be able to come. But I will try to arrange to visit the building and also the family home there. I will communicate you in your email by tomorrow. Please convey my regards to your brother. With Regards V.A.N.Namboodiri.