Pune will get India’s second post office to be built using 3D printing technology where the construction would be completed in less than three months. The building also will have neither any vertical pillars, bricks nor steel, but a different type of cement that is used for such printing, said Dattatray Varadhi, Assistant Superintendent of Post Office, Pune Region. A plot in Sahakar Nagar has been identified for the post office and the tendering process is yet to be done, he added. The operations at the new post office are likely to begin next year. The first post office in the country to be built using 3D printing technology was inaugurated in Bengaluru last year by Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister for Railways, Communications, Electronics and IT. The office in Bengaluru was completed in just 43 days, two days ahead of its schedule, unlike the normal construction that would take around 6-10 months. How does 3D-printing technology of buildings work? 3D-printing technology is said to be a cost-effective and environmentally friendly method of construction. 3D shapes are created using computer programmes which are sent as input to the printer. Cement is commonly used in this type of printing but use of other materials such as polymers have also been explored. The nozzle of the printer then deposits the cement according to the design specifications and desired shape.
