WARANGAL: As the State government has decided to construct a super-speciality hospital on the premises of Warangal Central Prison, demolition works have already begun. Reportedly, 70 per cent of the building has been demolished so far. The demolition work started in the early hours of Sunday and it has been continuing at breakneck speed.
Police personnel were deployed in large numbers around the structure and all the roads surrounding the Warangal Central Prison were closed to ensure public safety. Even media persons were not allowed in the area citing safety reasons. Meanwhile, there were reports circulating on various social media platforms that former Director-General of TS Prisons VK Singh has filed a case in the High Court against the State government’s move to quickly evacuate the inmates from the jail premises.
The Warangal Central Prisoner authorities allegedly had to rush and handover the Prison land documents to MGM Superintendent K Chandrasekhar on Friday night. Warangal Urban Collector and Superintendent made arrangements for the demolition work and put in measures in place to prevent any untoward incidents. According to sources, without completing the tender process for demolition of the Jail, heavy machinery were deployed on Saturday night and blocks inside the premises were demolished. However, the officials overseeing the process are hiding information about the demolition, said sources.
Opposition party leaders questioned the whole process of shifting the prisoners from the Warangal Central Prison, which was done in a hurried manner. They alleged that the State government has decided to sell various government lands in the tri-cities as the land value is pretty high and they also alleged that the CM has listed several properties for business purposes including the Warangal Central Prison.
It may be recalled, this month, a total of 957 prisoners were shifted to jails in Mahabubabad, Chanchalguda, Charlapally open-air jail, Nizamabad, Adilabad, and Khammam. The shifting process of prisoners and the vacating of jail premises was observed closely by current Director General of TS Prisons Rajiv Trivedi. He visited Warangal twice and monitored whole the process.
Historical account
The 135-year-old Central Jail was built on a 64-acre land during the Nizam period, in the year 1885. It is the second-largest jail in the State. Many prominent personalities who took part in the Indian freedom struggle, Telangana Peasants’ Movement, and Telangana Statehood movement were imprisoned here