KOCHI: The College Post Office, which operated from the premises of the Ernakulam Public Library on Convent Road, will soon be closing its doors for the final time this weekend. The decision, has come as a big blow to patrons of the library, many of whom used it to send books and access other postal services.
“The post office has been a big boon for the patrons of the library, and, of course, for the local people. Truth be told, we didn’t want them to leave. After all, for a library, any institution that offers services to people is a natural ally,” said K P Ajith Kumar, the library secretary.
“And for their part, the post office had been very regular with their rent payments, and their team was indeed a cordial bunch. So, it’s a shame that this decades-long relationship is coming to an end.”
It was in 2003 that India Post began services on the library premises. Over the course of nearly 25 years, even as the city changed around them, both the institutions stood as oases of solace and had gathered a growing tribe of patrons.
“It’s sad that the Post has decided to close this office,” said Priya K Peter, the librarian. “Their services were very beneficial to our members, and a lot of them were regularly seen availing postal services with their library visits.”
The symbiosis between the two had also seen the library forgoing any increase in the rent that India Post had to pay during the last contract renewal period. “They pay Rs 52,000 per month. Compared to the going rates on MG Road, this is considerably low. But it didn’t matter. As people servicing institutions, making money is not our motive,” Ajith said.
This decision to close was entirely theirs, the library secretary clarified.
Syed Ansar, Senior Superintendent of Post Offices, Ernakulam Division, said the Ernakulam head post office, which is only a five-minute walk from the College Post Office, is better equipped to take care of all postage service needs, and urged all patrons of the latter to move their business there. The College Post Office is only 800m away from the Ernakulam head post office on Hospital Road.
On the now available library space, Ajith said, “The committee has decided to rent it again, perhaps this time, for the usual going rates on MG Road. Ideally, to an establishment that is keeping in line with the dignity of the library.”