New jails in Gujarat to tackle overcrowding issue

To solve the problem of prisoner overcrowding, Gujarat government plans to build more cells and jails in the state.

In a written reply to the state assembly, state minister of jails, Praful Patel, said that the Gujarat State Police Housing Corporation (GSPHC) has initiated steps to build new sub-jails in Patan, Galpadar (Kutch) and Dahod.

"Each of these sub-jails will have a capacity to house 200 prisoners," the minister added.

The minister was replying to questions of RC Patel and Kalu Rathod, BJP MLAs from Jalalpore and Una, respectively.

He also informed that the state government plans to build 400 cells in Ahmedabad Central Jail. Of this, GSPHC has begun work on building 200 cells in the first phase, he said.

The minister also revealed that a new Central Jail at Lajpore in Surat, having capacity to house 2,500 prisoners, was in the final stages of completion.

The GSPHC has also started work to enhance capacity of Vadodara Central Jail to 2,500 prisoners, the House was informed. He said that an under-trial jail, having capacity to house 530 under-trial inmates, has become functional in Ahmedabad Central Jail from April 2010 onwards.