Three jails having modern kitchen, a decent canteen and a visitors' corner were inaugurated by chief minister Mayawati here on Friday. Besides 80-bed hospitals, sewerage treatment plant, multi-purpose halls and school buildings, arrangements for training and improvement of prisoners have been made in the new jails so that prisoners could start their new life after completing their prison period. Inaugurating the new buildings of Lucknow District Jail, Model Jail and Nari Bandi Niketan at her official residence, Mayawati said that old buildings of these jails were not safe and secure for inmates due to which new ones were being planned. The buildings of district jail and model jail were constructed in 1861 and 1867 respectively, she said adding that as per directives of courts, Human Rights Commission and the Centre, the prisoners had to be kept with human dignity. She said that the old premises of these jails were far away from city population at the time of their construction but later on these buildings came in populated areas due to expansion of the city and security hazards were being created. Stating that Old District Jail had a capacity of 1,004 prisoners against which 2,680 prisoners were currently lodged, Mayawati said that the new jail buildings had been constructed with high class security and other arrangements. The New Model Jail and Nari Bandi Niketan would have the capacity of 600 and 420 prisoners respectively. The district jail would have a total capacity of 3,640 prisoners instead of the current figure of 1,004.
