Project to facilitate inmates: ‘Construction of Lodhran jail will help ease overcrowding’

LAHORE: The Lodhran District Jail is being constructed at a cost of Rs131 million and will help in resolving the long-standing issue of overcrowding in prisons of south Punjab.

This was said by Bahawalpur Central Jail Superintendent Shehram Toqeer Khan while speaking to The Express Tribune. He said 70% construction work on Lodhran District Jail had been completed and will be inaugurated in June 2017.

The prison superintendent maintained all the inmates belonging to District Lodhran have been shifted and confined at Bahawalpur Central Jail.

He added Bahawalpur Central Jail was constructed in 1955 and could accommodate around 1,400 prisoners. However, he said, “There are more than 2,000 prisoners imprisoned in the jail as there is no jail in Lodhran District.”

He further said the overcrowding at the prison not only caused extra burden on the government but it also created difficulties for the relatives of inmates, who had to travel from different areas of Lodhran District to meet their loved ones.

Shehram said the new jail was being built on modern lines and techniques and its essence was welfare of the prisoners. All the modern concepts have been kept into consideration for prisoners’ welfare including their better living, better medical facilities, security measures and rehabilitation facilities.

Modern facilities

A dedicated feeder has been installed in the new jail which would ensure provision of uninterrupted supply of electricity. This was meant to cope with harsh weather conditions during winter and summer.

Besides, modern dispensaries, clinic and other medical facilities have also been installed. A community hall and libraries are also included in newly constructed prison for a healthy atmosphere.

Water filtration plants have been installed for provision of clean water. In order to review the progress on work and its standard, Punjab Prisons Inspector General Mian Farooq Nazeer visited the jail.

Construction of Lodhran District Jail is part of a project of building 12 new jails in Punjab to cope with problems of overcrowding. These prisons are being built at a budget of Rs10.53 billion. Each prison will have the capacity to house 1,000 inmates.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24^th, 2016.