Bengaluru will soon have India’s first post office constructed using 3D printing technology. The project at Cambridge Layout in Ulsoor is being implemented by Larsen & Toubro. The 1,100 sqft building is expected to cost 30-40 per cent less than conventional buildings because of the technological intervention.

The post office is being built at a cost of Rs 23 lakh.

“Primarily, we are looking at building post offices with low-cost construction options using 3D printing technology. We feel this is the technology for the future; it may trigger interest in low-cost housing, which is our secondary interest,” said S Rajendra Kumar, chief postmaster general of the Karnataka circle. “While the basic structure is expected to be completed in 15 days, the construction of the whole building will take about a month. However, we have not asked the builders to rush the construction.”

Residents of Bengaluru are delighted to see the construction of the building. “Look ma, they are 3D printing a building outside my house!” read the caption of a viral video, tweeted by a resident, Marisha Thakur.

Karnataka’s postal department is also mulling constructing post offices in 400 locations where postal services are not accessible.