Handling the large number of undertrials is the biggest challenge faced by prisons across the country, said experts at the inaugural session of the two-day National Conference on Prison Design in the city on Tuesday.

In India, there are about 1,350 prisons of different types, with a total accommodation capacity of around 3.66 lakh. However, according to statistics available with the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) for 2016, over 4.19 lakh prisoners are lodged at the prisons — indicating that the prisons are overpopulated by around 50,000 inmates,said V.H. Deshmukh, Additional DGP, Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), New Delhi.

Bursting at the seams

Mr. Deshmukh said the biggest challenge lies in handling the number of undertrials. Of the 4.19 lakh inmates, around 2.82 lakh are undertrials. Some of the jails are bursting at the seams due to the overcrowding. In some jails in Maharashtra, the occupancy rate is 276%. In Chhattisgarh, it is 233% while in Delhi, it is 226%. Keeping this in mind, we have to not only address the legal delivery system, but at the same time also think of introducing new architectural designs for the prisons,” he said.

Mr. Deshmukh said BPR&D is taking forward the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to have new designs for prisons.

The PM had envisaged new designs for prisons at the last DGPs conference and our focus is now to design prisons that will address different issues, including the mental and physical health of prisoners, said Mr. Deshmukh.

The idea is to build prisons that will serve more as correctional facilities rather than exist as a means of solely meting out punishment.

Through the new designs, we intend to reduce the stress levels both for the prisoners and the prison staff, and build facilities that would transform criminals into law-abiding citizens. The new designs will also focus on skill development, so that once a prisoner is released, he or she can be self-sustainable, he said.

Nation-wide contest

Mr. Deshmukh said a nation-wide competition for best designs will be organised which will be open to all architects and students of architecture.

This seminar is being organised so that prisons officials, police and architects can deliberate and discuss on various best practices and come out with cost-effective and innovative designs, which would serve our purpose,he said.

Earlier, Andhra Pradesh DGP R.P. Thakur said the designs should focus on creating a good ambience for the prisoners, without compromising on the security aspects.

The focus should shift towards electronic security and surveillance,he said.

Home Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Nimmakayala Chinarajappa said gone are the days when prisons used to be only centres for meting out punishment to prisoners.

Prisons should now focus on reforming prisoners by introducing a good ambience and providing facilities for the development of mental and physical faculties,he said.

IG AP Prisons Jaya Vardhan and DIG Prisons Indla Srinivas were present at the conference.

Over 80 senior officials from prisons across the country are attending the two-day seminar.