Government Plans to Monetise Prime Postal Properties in Maharashtra and Goa

The Department of Posts (DoP) is taking significant steps to commercially exploit properties from its vast landbank across Maharashtra and Goa. This initiative, aimed at speeding up monetisation, has invited allegations of privatisation without public consultation.

The decision follows a statement by Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia in July 2025, where he emphasized the need to maximize the value of government assets. “Whether it is telecom or the department of posts, we must sweat our assets,” the minister had said. “We are checking where the title papers are, the mutation details, and identifying major potential properties before we get a developer.”

The current exercise, led by the Office of the Chief Postmaster General, Maharashtra Circle, Amitabh Singh, has commissioned legal due diligence for 22 postal properties. These properties are spread across Pune, Navi Mumbai, Nagpur, the Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (CCSN) region, and Goa, including three in Mumbai: the post offices at Colaba, Chinchbunder, and Kurla.

According to official communications, multiple regional postal offices have been instructed to conduct exhaustive legal checks on selected properties, many of which are located in high-value urban areas. As part of the due diligence, legal firms will conduct detailed title searches spanning the past 30 years, verify ownership records, identify encumbrances, examine pending litigation, and assess whether land-use changes or government permissions are required before commercial exploitation. Title certificates will also be issued to ensure legal clarity ahead of any future redevelopment or leasing.

Officials familiar with the process say the aim is not immediate lease or sale but preparation. “At present, we are only collecting data and mapping out possibilities. Monetisation is part of a long-term plan,” a source said. All 22 properties are fully owned by the Department of Posts, giving it flexibility to explore redevelopment models, including partnerships with private or public sector entities. Only a handful of properties are expected to be shortlisted from the list.

Postal operations will continue at these sites. In cases where redevelopment is eventually approved, business activities may be temporarily shifted, with services returning once redevelopment is complete. “There is no plan to shut down operations. Any redevelopment will be done in phases,” the source said.

The iconic General Post Office (GPO), often seen as one of India Post’s most valuable real estate assets, is absent from the monetisation plan as of now. Officials ruled out any immediate move to commercialise the GPO, citing operational needs. “The GPO is not in our monetisation bucket at present because many of our existing offices need to be accommodated there,” added the officer, noting that the building remains central to postal operations.

“The move aligns with the government’s broader push to monetise idle or underused assets across departments, particularly in urban centres where land values are soaring. For India Post—one of the country’s largest landholders—the stakes are high,” said a senior officer at GPO, requesting anonymity.

Speaking on the development, the Chairman of the Cuffe Parade Residents Association (CPRA), Laura D’Souza, expressed concerns. “The Colaba Post Office, a heritage public institution, was renovated a few months ago at a cost of Rs 50 lakh of taxpayers’ money. If the government was genuinely committed to strengthening public postal services, why was the postman delivery department abruptly shifted to Mumbai GPO immediately after the renovation?” D’Souza questioned.

“The DoP owns multiple properties in Maharashtra alone. Are these valuable public assets now being quietly lined up for monetisation, sale, or privatisation, without public consultation, legislative oversight, or transparency?” D’Souza wondered.

The legal due diligence process includes verifying all documents of title and revenue records, confirming the right to transfer or assign leases, and assessing the possibility of changing land use. The timeline for completing the due diligence for properties in Shirpur, Nashik, Akola, Jalna in Maharashtra, and Kagal in Goa is set for January 22, 2026. For properties in Karmala (Pune), Newasa (Pune), Pona-Goa (Goa), Kavathe Mahakal (Goa), Gadhinglaj (Goa), Mandangad (Goa), Talera (Goa), Akola (Nagpur), Chandrapur (Nagpur), Bhusawal (CSN), Sailu (CSN), Narsi Namdev (CSN), Georai (CSN), Chinchbunder Post Office, Colaba, and Kurla Post Office in Mumbai, the deadline is February 25, 2026.

This move by the Department of Posts underscores the government’s strategy to leverage its significant real estate holdings to generate additional revenue, while raising questions about the future of public postal services and the transparency of the process.