The Department of Posts, Govt. of India is bringing out a series of postage stamps to herald INDIA 89 WORLD PHILATELIC EXHIBITION to be held in New Delhi from 20-29 January, 1989. The first set consists of two stamps in this series depicting the logo of the exhibition. The second set consisting of four stamps showed four historic monuments of Delhi, the city where the exhibtion is being held. The present third set consisting of two stamps are on Postal buildings depicting Bombay G.P.O. and Bangalore G.P.O. as samples of early & the latest architecture. A Postamaster was appointed in Bombay in 1787 while Bombay G.P.O. was opened in 1794. It was first located in the Fort in a building near Apollo Pier. In 1869 it was shifted to the present C.T.O. building and it finally moved to its present building in 1913.

However, there is an earlier refrence to the establishment of a Post Office in Bombay in 1688 when the Court of Directors of the East India Company instructed the Council at Bombay vide a letter dated 27-8-1688 - "We likewise require you to erct a Post Office for all letters to be brought to and delivered at, setting such rate upon each single letter, and so proportionably upon double and treble letters, as may in a few years bring in insencibly a vast revenew to the Company; and a much greater conviniency to merchants and trade in generally than ever they yet had or understood..." However, it is not fully certain whether at all a post office was actually set up or not. This is an area where active research can bear fruitful results. The Imperial Post Office was first established in Bangalore in 1800, elevated as Head Post Office in1854.

It was shifted to a single-storeyed building constructed for the Residency near Cubban Park, but a century later a more modern and spacious building was required to meet Bangalore's expanding postal network. After much thought of a six storeyed building with basement came up at the junction of Raj Bhavan Road and Dr. Ambedkar Veedhi, planed by the architects and constructed under the supervision of the Civil Engineers of the P&T DEptt. the building is a mixture of traditional and modern construction in design and in material. The podium and the sides of the building are of fine chiselled stone masnory with pillars and corridors all along.

The rear of the building is faced with cement lattic work. The building has three domes, cast in R.C.C. and veneered with stones. The counter hall has an imposing height of 28' and a wooden chandelier. The plinth area of the building is 1,90,711 sq. ft. and the carpet area is about 1,10,043 sq. ft. The building was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India on 15-11-85. Today this building is considered a major landmark in Bangalore. the Department of Posts is happy to issue this set on World Post Day which is marked by a special cancellation.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India