Central prison resembles star hotel

Chennai, Nov 26 (UNI) Resembling at first look a five star hotel, the state-of-the-art Central Prison at suburban Puzhal area, will be inaugurated by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi later today.

Built on a sprawling 212 acre areas at a cost of Rs 77.09 crore in a pollution-free and healthy environment, the ultra modern complex, redefining the very concept of a jail, is aimed at decongesting the overcrowded Central Prison.

The prison, built by the Tamil Nadu Police Housing Corporation, has the capacity to house 1,250 remand prisoners, an equal number of convicted prisoners and 500 women prisoners. Those remanded, convicted and women prisoners would be housed in three separate complexes.

A separate enclosure has been constructed for the first time in Prison history to accommodate civil convicts.

It took nearly three years to complete the construction works after the then Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa laid the foundation stone in September 2003.

The prisoners convicted in Chennai, Kancheepuram and Thiruvallur district would be lodged in Puzhal Prison.

The Prison has a quarantine block to segregate new entrants till the stage of medical examination, cells and dormitories with windows, meditation hall, library, amphitheatre, auditorium, jail court with video-conferencing facility and mechanised kitchens.

It also contains high-security blocks with exclusive kitchen and hospital, a gymnasium, canteen, public music system and rehabilitation block.

The prison complex also contains residential staff quarters to house more than 300 jail staff.

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