Customs office to be developed into regional museum: Official

Mangaluru: The department of customs will convert the customs office at Old Port, Bunder, into a regional Customs Museum. “Reflecting the spirit of the Customs Museum in Goa, the department will strive to make it into a tourist spot – for locals and outsiders alike—giving the visitors a slice of history attached to the 133-year-old building that CPWD has restored at a cost of Rs 89.46 lakh,” said A K Jyotishi, chief commissioner of customs, Bengaluru zone.
Inaugurating the renovated customs office on Tuesday, Jyotishi, noting that renovation is the first phase of developing it into a regional museum, appealed to stakeholders to donate any artefacts connected to the department for display. Assuring donors their contribution will be acknowledged, Jyotishi directed Parag C Borkar, commissioner of customs, to set up a display board with QR code that tourists can scan for an AV presentation on Customs House.
“The customs office gives me goosebumps in that it is a repository of history of international trade that this coastal city has carried out over the centuries. Mangaluru was an important trade port then, and has imbibed a lot of culture from outside traders, while exporting its culture outside,” he said. “The customs office will be given a vibrant, impressive front façade with decorative lighting, good lawn and a memorabilia shop set up to kindle tourist interest,” he said.
M Subramanyam, commissioner of GST audit, Bengaluru, who in his earlier posting as commissioner of customs, Mangaluru, initiated the renovation project, said the customs office is a tribute to people who ensured the economic sovereignty of India. Recalling the unprecedented instance when the entire top brass of CPWD inspected the building in 2016 during their visit here, he said the renovation is a result of coordination of various government agencies.
Crediting the entire ‘Team Mangaluru’ of customs for seeing the project through, especially Borkar, for honouring his vision for the Customs House, Subramanyam urged Jyotishi to get India Post to release a special cover for this historical building.
“While a part of the renovated Customs House will house regular offices of Customs, the rest will be developed into a full-fledged gallery where literature and exhibits will be displayed,” Subramanyam said.
S N Rai, chief engineer, South Zone-3, CPWD, Bengaluru, said the close association between the customs and CPWD has ensured that a project this unique in nature was executed in a record time. Borkar lauding the perseverance of Subramanyam in seeing this project through, said Customs Houses invokes nostalgia of older times, and also serves as a reminder of how the department has progressed in its working with the times.