The Uttar Pradesh cabinet has approved the construction of five new district jails in a move to strengthen prison infrastructure and address chronic overcrowding. The decision was made on Wednesday, with the projects estimated to cost over Rs 1,466 crore collectively. The new facilities will be built in Moradabad, Kanpur Nagar, Auraiya, Lalitpur, and Bhadohi.
Key Details of the Approved Projects
The cabinet cleared these projects based on the recommendation of the Expenditure Finance Committee. They are part of the government's broader prison modernisation and expansion programme, which aims to add capacity for 6,212 inmates across the state.
Kanpur Nagar Jail
The largest project approved is a 2,030-capacity district jail in Kanpur Nagar, costing Rs 384.05 crore. The prison will be built on 120.85 acres of land in Narwal tehsil. The existing Kanpur District Jail, located in the city center, has long suffered from severe overcrowding, housing between 2,000 and 2,900 inmates against its sanctioned capacity of 1,245 over the past five years.
Moradabad Jail
A 2,000-capacity district jail in Moradabad was approved at a cost of Rs 386.91 crore. The facility will be constructed on 97.15 acres in Sirsakheda village. The existing Moradabad jail, with a capacity of 906 inmates, housed as many as 3,721 prisoners in 2023, underscoring the urgent need for additional infrastructure.
Auraiya Jail
In Auraiya, a new 1,056-capacity district jail will be built at a cost of Rs 264.96 crore on 60.70 acres in Sherpur Saraiya village. Currently, inmates from Auraiya are lodged in Etawah district jail and the Central Jail at Etawah, often leading to overcrowding.
Lalitpur and Bhadohi Jails
The cabinet further approved a 552-capacity district jail in Lalitpur costing Rs 225.06 crore and a 574-capacity jail in Bhadohi at Rs 209.18 crore. These facilities are expected to ease the burden on existing prisons in the region.
This expansion is a significant step towards improving prison conditions and reducing overcrowding in Uttar Pradesh's jails.
