UP to construct 20 new high-tech jails

| | Lucknow
  • 0

UP to construct 20 new high-tech jails

Tuesday, 21 March 2023 | PNS | Lucknow

Following reports that prisons in Uttar Pradesh are bursting at the seams, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to construct 20 new, high-tech jails in the state, which will include 11 districts that do not have any prison at present.

“Apart from this, the process of construction of one central jail and other jails in nine districts has also started while the number of barracks is being increased in some of the jails,” a government spokesman said here on Monday, adding that budget had been released and the Prison department had been given the green signal to go ahead with the work.

He said these jails would be high-tech keeping in view the present scenario.

The government has set a target of two to five years to complete construction of the new jails.

Earlier, at a high-level meeting, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was informed by the officials of the prison administration that at present the state's central and district jails were overcrowded. They stressed the need for building new jails keeping in view the facilities provided by the jail manual and protection of the human rights of the prisoners.

Senior officials of the Prison Administration and Reform Services told Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath that currently against the capacity to accommodate 13,669 prisoners, the seven central jails of UP had 15,201 inmates which was 111 per cent of the capacity.

Similarly, 62 district jails with a capacity of 49,107 prisoners have 95,597 prisoners lodged in them, which is 194 per cent of the capacity. There are two sub-jails with a capacity of 306 prisoners in which 664 inmates are lodged -- 216 per cent of the capacity. Women's central jail has a capacity of 120 prisoners, against which 148 prisoners are detained, which is 123 per cent of the capacity.

After this the chief minister instructed the prison administration to submit a proposal regarding construction of new jails. Subsequently, the Prisons department made a proposal for the construction of new jails in 11 districts of the state, which was later approved by the chief minister during another meeting.

After the government released the budget for the construction of new jails, the way was cleared for their construction, particularly in those districts of the state which do not have any jail.

“The construction has started in 11 districts, including prisons with a capacity of 990 inmates each in Amethi and Mahoba, of 1,000 inmate capacity each in Kushinagar, Chandauli, Auraiya, Hapur, Sambhal, Amroha and Bhadohi, 1,026 capacity in Hathras and 2,000 capacity in Shamli.

“Similarly, the construction of a new central jail in Lalitpur with a capacity of 2,000 inmates has been expedited. At the same time, the process of construction of a second district jail of 1,000 inmate capacity has started in Lalitpur,” the official said.

Besides, funds have been approved for the repair and renovation of Bareilly's old jail, which will have a capacity of 2,579 prisoners. Apart from this, the process of construction of prisons with a capacity of 3,000 each in Moradabad and Muzaffarnagar, 2,000 each in Shahjahanpur, Budaun and Varanasi, 1,000 each in Jaunpur and Rampur and 5,000 in Kanpur Nagar is underway.

At the same time, by the end of March, the district jails with a capacity of 502 prisoners in Shravasti and 2,688 inmates in Prayagraj will be ready. Along with this, one barrack with capacity of 30 prisoners is being constructed in Gorakhpur district jail.

"With the construction of new jails, repair of existing jails and increases in the capacities of barracks in jails, more than 35,000 prisoners can be shifted there," the official said.

 

Sunday Edition

CAA PASSPORT TO FREEDOM

24 March 2024 | Kumar Chellappan | Agenda

CHENNAI EXPRESS IN GURUGRAM

24 March 2024 | Pawan Soni | Agenda

The Way of Bengal

24 March 2024 | Shobori Ganguli | Agenda

The Pizza Philosopher

24 March 2024 | Shobori Ganguli | Agenda

Astroturf | Lord Shiva calls for all-inclusiveness

24 March 2024 | Bharat Bhushan Padmadeo | Agenda

Interconnected narrative l Forest conservation l Agriculture l Food security

24 March 2024 | BKP Sinha/ Arvind K jha | Agenda