It is reported that President Ranil Wickremesinghe has decided to give the ancient buildings of Diyathalawa and Galle post offices for hotel projects through the Urban Development Authority. It is in addition to the Nuwara Eliya and Kandy Post Offices’ buildings.
Meanwhile, the ‘Sunday Times’ newspaper reports that in addition to the buildings mentioned above, three other historical buildings in Nuwara Eliya and Kandy are also being prepared to be sold for hotel projects.
Accordingly, the two bungalows belonging to the Department of Inland Revenue and the Port Authority in Nuwara Eliya and the Ahelepola Wallauwa in Kandy are the other buildings to be given for hotel projects. Ahelepola Walawwa is a historical building connected with the chiefs of the last kings of Ceylon.
Diyatalawa and Galle post offices are built according to Dutch architecture.
According to reports, the building where the Nuwara Eliya Post Office is located has already been taken over from the Postmaster General by the Urban Development Authority on the orders of President Ranil Wickremesinghe. The building and about an acre of land will be given for the hotel project.
However, there is strong opposition from people all over the country against handing over these buildings for hotel projects, especially the building where the Nuwara Eliya Post Office is located. Many people, including the Buddhist clergy, are protesting against handing over the building for hotel projects.
Nuwara Eliya Public Property Protecting Organization and postal union representatives have also handed over a public petition to the Nuwara Eliya District Secretary requesting that this building be prevented from being sold for hotel projects.
