Nuwara Eliya post office will remain for postal operations

Minister Vijitha Herath announced that the iconic 130-year-old Nuwara Eliya Post Office will be used exclusively for postal operations, suspending previous plans by the former government to convert it into a hotel – a proposal that faced widespread protests.

The minister made this statement during a ceremony at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo to celebrate the 150th World Post Day.

Minister Vijitha Herath stated:

“Decisions were previously made to forcibly take over the Nuwara Eliya Post Office building. However, under the new government’s policies led by the new President, we will reserve the Nuwara Eliya Post Office building and its premises solely for the Postal Department’s operations. It will not be handed over to anyone else. All decisions made regarding this matter so far will be suspended.”

There had been significant controversy in the past over plans to transfer the Nuwara Eliya Post Office building to the private sector for use as a hotel.