Warangal: New prison remains a non-starter

Warangal: It's been exactly a year since the Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao had announced that a model prison with all modern facilities will come up on the suburbs of Warangal city; however, the assurance remained a non-starter. It may be recalled here that KCR who inspected MGM Hospital on May 21 emphasised the need for its expansion. He ordered the shifting of Warangal Central Prison to some other suitable location to make way for the construction of a multi-level super-speciality hospital, including a regional cardiac centre on the sprawling 59 acres. A few days later, the historic Warangal Central Prison slipped into history with the authorities demolishing the jail structures after shifting 957 inmates to Cherlapally jail, near Hyderabad and Khammam.

The prison was built in 1886 during the regime of sixth Nizam of Hyderabad Mir Mahboob Ali Khan. The idea to construct a super-speciality hospital in jail land seemed reasonable as it shares border with the Kakatiya Medical College (KMC) where a super-specialty hospital had already come up under the Centre's Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) scheme. With the MGM Hospital also just a few paces away from it, it appeared like a healthcare corridor.

The CM, who released a GO allocating little over 100 acres on TSSP 4th Battalion campus, near Mamnoor, for the construction of the jail, laid foundation only for the multi-level super-speciality hospital on June 21. The government which allocated Rs 250 crore for the construction of the jail didn't release either.

"It has become a herculean task for the staff to bring the prisoners from Hyderabad and Khammam to Warangal court during the trials, besides it was an expensive ordeal," a court duty police constable told The Hans India. On the other hand, Mulakat has also become an ordeal for the near and dear of the prisoners as they were forced to travel to Hyderabad or Khammam.

It may be mentioned here that due to the demolition of the jail, My Nation Store that sold several products manufactured by the prisoners as part of revenue generation has also come to a nought. The prisoners of the jail used to manufacture wooden and steel furniture, kerchiefs, masks etc.