Mumbai: The Mumbai Central Jail, often known as Arthur Highway jail, will quickly get 4 watchtowers to observe actions outdoors the ability, thwart jail breaks and forestall individuals from throwing issues contained in the jail, in keeping with a authorities decision (GR) issued on Tuesday.
Arthur Highway jail to get 4 watchtowers, multipurpose corridor
Situated within the bustling, densely populated neighbourhood of Jacob Circle, the jail is surrounded by slums on two sides. A committee appointed by the Maharashtra authorities in 2015 to review jail safety categorised this as a danger.
The committee had really useful the removing of the slums, which by no means occurred. Since then, many high-rise residential and business buildings have additionally come up within the neighborhood, growing the safety danger, officers stated.
In line with the GR, the state authorities has sanctioned ₹1.21 crore for the development of 4 watchtowers for the Arthur Highway jail. It has additionally sanctioned ₹2.80 crore to construct a multipurpose corridor within the jail. “We didn’t have a hall inside the jail and, hence, could not hold any educational or entertainment programmes or correctional processes. We had written to the senior officers to sanction a hall. A small structure will be demolished and a hall of 2,800 sqft will be constructed,” stated an officer connected to the jail.
The Arthur Highway jail has a capability of 804 prisoners and is all the time overcrowded, with greater than 2,500 inmates at any given time, officers stated.
In the meantime, the Byculla Jail in Mumbai has been allotted funds of ₹1.77 crore for a brand new workplace for the jail superintendent and different senior officers. The jail administration will even be allowed to assemble a brand new constructing the place inmates, largely girls, will be capable to meet their relations in a corridor. At current, the preparations are momentary. The state has additionally sanctioned ₹2.8 crore for a brand new kitchen and godown on the jail.
The Thane Jail has been allotted ₹1.32 crore for extending the barrack for ladies prisoners, whereas the Harsul Central Jail in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar will get ₹12.14 crore for the development of a brand new open jail with capability for 100 inmates and a separate cell for transgenders.
The state can also be setting up an open jail in Akola within the Vidarbha area for ladies inmates at a value of ₹11.90 crore, whereas one other open jail with a capability of 150 inmates is sanctioned at Kolhapur at a value of ₹14.25 crore.