CHENNAI: The state would soon have a high security prison in Tiruchy to lodge fundamentalists, extremists, terrorists and high-risk prisoners.
The facility would come up at a cost of Rs 104.7 crore with the assistance of Union government.
As of now, the high-risk prisoners have been lodged in various central prisons.
Once the new facility comes up, they would be transferred to Tiruchy. There are 12 high security blocks at nine prisons.
At present, some of the fundamentalists and terrorists such as ISIS sympathisers and Al Umma prisoners have been lodged in Puzhal and Coimbatore Central Prisons.
“The high security prison is being constructed at Tiruchy to manage fundamentalists, extremists, terrorists and high-risk prisoners,” Minister for Law and Prisons and Correctional Services S Regupathy told the Assembly during the debate for grants for the department on Monday.
To improve the security mechanism, the prison department would procure 50 body worn cameras at Rs 50 lakh and 90 hand held metal detectors for the central prisons for men and special prisons for women at Rs 18.90 lakh, the Minister said.
The Minister, in the policy note, said that efforts are constantly being made to modernise prison administration by infusing modern technologies.
It also focuses on improving prison security, prison reform, rehabilitation and social integration.
“In terms of infrastructures and reformation of the inmates, Tamil Nadu stands at the forefront in the country,” the Minister said.
The Minister announced the establishment of the state institute of correctional administration (SICA) at Tiruchy.
The institution would provide basic training and in-service refresh courses for the prison department personnel.
The department would also build an additional floor to accommodate 1,000 more prisoners at Central Prison-II, Puzhal to reduce overcrowding of remanded prisoners.
The department would establish 160 video conferencing facilities in all the nine central prisons, five special prisons for women and 14 district jails, special sub jail at Poonamallee and prison headquarters.
Child friendly interview rooms will be established in central prisons and special prisons for women.