NEWSLINKS
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTION 99
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

AP to auction prime jail land

Syed Amin Jafri in Hyderabad

The Andhra Pradesh government has drawn up plans to auction jail land at Secunderabad and Visakhapatnam after shifting the existing central prisons to the outskirts of these cities.

"We need to dispose of the land at the central prisons at Musheerabad, Visakhapatnam and other cities for more useful purposes and the funds accruing from the sale of the lands could be used for the construction of more spacious modern jails on the city outskirts," the chief minister told officials at a high-level meeting on Tuesday.

He said the government has been thinking of shifting the jails from the crowded and congested city areas to more healthier locations on the outskirts. He said the proposal would be implemented in a phased manner.

Andhra Pradesh presently has six central prisons, located at Hyderabad (Chanchalguda), Secunderabad (Musheerabad), Warangal, Rajahmundry and Visakhapatnam with authorised accommodation for 4,317 prisoners.

There are 10 district jails with accommodation for 1,639 prisoners. However, the central and district jails are overcrowded with a steep increase in the number of prisoners while accommodation has remained inadequate.

The state government has taken up the construction of two new central prisons at Moula Ali on the outskirts of Hyderabad and Adavivaram near Visakhapatnam at a cost of Rs 600 million.

Besides the construction of new jail complexes, the chief minister has also mooted the establishment of a board for jail reforms and prison development.

He directed the authorities to computerise the details of all individual prisoners. He mooted better marketing for the products produced by the prisoners by putting the details on the Internet. He also proposed video conferencing by magistrates and jail authorities for extension of remand of the prisoners to judicial custody.

More than 70 per cent of the prisoners comprise inmates awaiting or standing trial. They languish in jails unnecessarily because of the delay in trial and their failure to furnish necessary security for getting bail. The jails are thus overcrowded and escorting the undertrials to various courts has become a difficult job.

"We should provide all the facilities to the prisoners for their reformation and change of mindset. Meditation and social work should be encouraged among the prisoners," he said and assured to approach the Indian government and the judiciary with a request to bring in necessary changes in the criminal procedure code and other central laws for implementing reforms in jails.

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report