KOCHI : The proposal to construct new buildings to avoid overcrowding in prisons in the district remains in cold storage. The construction of a new borstal school, a dedicated detention centre for youth aged between 18 and 21, capable of accommodating 250 individuals, and its relocation from Thrikkakara to Viyyur, in Thrissur; along with a new prison in Perumbavoor, are awaiting government approval. The submission has been pending for nearly one-and-a-half years, officials said.
The state’s sole borstal school, with an authorised capacity of 66, currently houses 85 inmates. Five other jail facilities in the district also grapple with overcrowding. The prisons department had identified land in Vallam, near Perumbavoor, for the construction of a new jail. Officials say the proposal is pending with the department headquarters.
Ernakulam district jail, situated on 2.62 acres in Kakkanad, is designed to accommodate up to 98 prisoners. However, it currently houses 209, more than double its authorised capacity. The situation is equally dire in other facilities, such as the special sub jail in Muvattupuzha and sub jails in Ernakulam, Mattancherry and Aluva.
Muvattupuzha special sub jail, where the authorised capacity is 64, currently houses 110 inmates. Over 120 individuals are lodged at Ernakulam sub jail, designed for 48 prisoners. Similarly, the Aluva sub jail, with a capacity for 56 prisoners, has 107 inmates, while Mattancherry sub jail, meant for 36 prisoners, currently accommodates 64.
A 15-acre plot in Vallam, owned by Travancore Rayons Ltd, was identified for a new jail. The government had liquidated the land, which is the extent of the progress on the facility. At this juncture, the land can be allotted to the department after completing formalities. We have not identified any security issues, said officials.
P Ajayakumar, DIG prisons (central zone), said the proposal is with the top brass at the headquarters. “As part of initiating steps to reduce overcrowding, the department has decided to construct new buildings. We submitted the proposal one and a half years ago,” he told TNIE.