Work at Nabha jail on; to start at Kapurthala, Faridkot by this year-end
The problem of overcrowding in jails in Punjab would soon be a thing of the past, as the state plans to add more capacity in its existing jails and set up three new jails at Nabha, Kapurthala and Faridkot.
Sources say a sum of Rs 201 crore has been earmarked for setting up new jails and for adding infrastructure facilities and new barracks in some existing jails in the state.
Of this, while a sum of about Rs 170 crore is required for new jails, the rest of the money would be spent on adding new barracks and infrastructure in the existing jails.
Confirming this, Punjab Minister for Jails and Tourism Hira Singh Gabria told The Indian Express that while work on the Nabha jail is already on and its boundary wall is complete, work on Kapurthala and Faridkot jails would start by the end of this year, when the foundation stones of these jails are laid.
The new jails are expected to be complete within a year and the government is in the process of inviting tenders for allotment of construction work.
The total capacity of jails in the state would rise by 10,000 with new jails contributing a capacity of 6,000.
Sources say Punjab has a total capacity of about 12,000 inmates at present, while there are about 16,000 prisoners and undertrials lodged in jails.
Admitting to the problem of overcrowding, Gabria said though the state has only 5,000 prisoners, there are over 11,000 undertrials lodged in various jails. “We are trying to upgrade facilities inside jails and add more capacity,” he said.
The Minister said already Ludhiana and Amritsar Central Jails had been upgraded and new barracks had been added in them. He hoped to add some new features in existing and new jails soon.
Gabria claimed that the new jails would have shops and other facilities, where prisoners and undertrials could buy vegetables, sweets and other amenities.
“The new jails would also have the provision of accommodating family members of prisoners serving long sentences. Such families can stay for three-four days in the jail with their kin lodged inside the jail,” the Minister added.
The state has seven central jails at Patiala, Bathinda, Ferozepur, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar and Ludhiana; five district jails at Nabha, Sangrur, Faridkot, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur; two open-air jails at Nabha and Kapurthala; one women’s jail at Ludhiana; one borstal jail at Ludhiana and 10 sub-jails at Fazilka, Moga, Muktsar, Patti, Ropar, Barnala, Malerkotla, Phagwara, Dasuya and Pathankot.
