Government plans to modernise prisons and upgrade their capacities: CM

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday announced a series of prison reform measures aimed at enhancing security and infrastructure across the State’s prison system.

In the light of the recent escape of rape-and-murder convict Govindachamy from the Kannur Central Prison, Mr. Vijayan informed the Assembly that electric fences had been operationalised at the Thiruvananthapuram, Kannur and Viyyur Central Prisons, and the High-Security Prison and the Women’s Prison at Viyyur. The Prison Superintendents have been instructed to regularly monitor and ensure that the fences remain fully functional.

Modernisation

He acknowledged that many prisons in the State are outdated and urgently require modernisation to meet present-day standards. While some upgrades have been carried out over time, he said that more substantial reforms are needed to deal with chronic issues like overcrowding.

To address capacity concerns, the government plans to re-purpose the existing infrastructure and construct new prison annexes. Extensions are planned for the women’s prison at Attakulangara in Thiruvananthapuram and the Central Prison at Poojappura to enhance their capacity by nearly 300. As part of the plan, the women’s prison may also be relocated closer to the Central Prison premises.

Renovation work

Renovation work is also under way at the Alappuzha District Jail which, upon completion, will be able to house 150 more inmates. Moreover, the Idukki District Jail at Muttom will soon accommodate an additional 100 inmates.

The government is also looking to establish a new central prison in Kottayam or Pathanamthitta. Having a central prison in the central region of the State would be a strategic step to reduce overcrowding, Mr. Vijayan pointed out.

He added that the government is also committed to extending videoconferencing facilities across prisons in the State to reduce the need for prisoner transportation. Efforts are also under way to ensure that inmates are housed in prisons closer to the courts concerned to streamline legal proceedings.