New prison complex to be opened soon

Chennai, Aug 8 (UNI) The construction of the new Prison complex at Puzhal, on the outskirts of the city has been completed and it would become functional soon, Tamil Nadu Law and Revenue Minister I Periyasamy told the State Assembly today.

Moving the demand for grants for his departments, he said constructed at cost of Rs 77.09 crores by the Tamil Nadu Police Housing Corporation, the new complex was necessitated in view of the severe overcrowding in Chennai Central Prison.

The new prison has the capacity to house 1250 remand prisoners and an equal number of convicted prisoners, besides 500 women prisoners in a sprawling 211.92 acre area in a pollution free and healthy environment.

He said prisoners convicted in Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts would be lodged in the new prison complex.

Taking into account the concerns expressed by the national Human Rights Commission on overcrowding in prisons, the government had ordered construction of five district jails.

The district jails at Srivaikundam, Nagercoil and Dindigul would be commissioned soon, while construction works were in progress at Virudhunagar and Ramanathapuram.

Apart from this, structural modification were carried out at a cost of Rs 15 lakh to convert Nanguneri Sub-jail as a Special Sub-jail.

He said under the perspective plan of the Union Home Ministry on maintenance of Prisons, ten sub-jails would be upgraded as district jails and one special prison for women would be constructed in Cuddalore.

Taking advantage of IT boom, a new 'Prisoners Information System' software has been developed with the help of National Informatics Centre for the first time in the country.

The NIC was also developing a software for computerisation of prison records.

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