Embassy New Delhi, India and Constituent Posts - OIG - US ...

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
The American Center and consulate general in Kolkata operate independent telephone
switchboard centers, also a legacy from the period when the former U.S. Information Service
staffed and managed the American Center. While a telecommunications circuit exists between
the two facilities, it does not support telephone switch interoperability. Reprogramming the
telephone switchboard either through the existing circuit, or if necessary, through an additional
circuit, will enable Consulate General Kolkata to combine switchboard operations and eliminate
or reprogram the corresponding operator positions.
Recommendation 62: Embassy New Delhi should reprogram the telephone switch at the
American Center in Kolkata to permit management of all voice traffic for Consulate General
Kolkata’s telephone operations center. (Action: Embassy New Delhi)
Establishment of a Diplomatic Post Office
The Bureau of Administration’s Logistics Management Diplomatic Pouch and Mail unit
is anxious to assist in the establishment of a Diplomatic Post Office for Embassy New Delhi and
the consulates general. Lack of such a facility is a quality-of-life and morale issue for mission
employees and families. The OIG team applauds the efforts of the IMO and DCM for their
continuing dialogue with appropriate Government of India and industry officials in the hopes
that host government approval for a Diplomatic Post Office will be forthcoming.
Consulate General Mumbai New Consular Compound
The new consulate compound under construction for Consulate General Mumbai does
not include a central uninterruptible power supply (UPS). Despite power outages and
fluctuations prevalent in Mumbai, OBO decided not to include a central UPS for the critical
telecommunications and computer network equipment. It is more expensive initially to purchase
a centralized UPS unit and retrofit the building for new and separate wiring circuits for the
critical computer equipment. However, a centralized UPS will pay for itself in 6 years because of
the recurring costs for battery and unit replacement for the individual UPS. At the end of 10
years the OIG team estimates that Consulate General Mumbai battery and UPS replacement cost
for an individual UPS would total approximately $193,200, whereas the total combined cost for a
central, building UPS would be approximately $176,000.
Recommendation 63: The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, in coordination with
Embassy New Delhi, should fund and install a high-capacity central uninterruptible power
supply that is sufficient to provide sustained power protection and failover capabilities for
computer systems at the Mumbai new consulate compound. (Action: OBO, in coordination with
Embassy New Delhi)
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SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED