Congested Jails in District Raise Concerns as Hunt for New Prison Site Drags On

Overcrowding, Many Prisoners Are Forced to Share Cramped Cells with Limited Space to Move — An Officer

- TOBY ANTONY @Kochi

The wait for a new sub-jail in the district continues even as overcrowding in existing prisons becomes a growing concern. Though the district administration sanctioned land in Puthuvype for the project last year, the plot was later deemed unfit for construction.

In 2023, the state government approved construction of a sub-jail in the district. Following this, the district administration allocated 19.03 ares of land in Puthuvype last July. "The land is marshy and not structurally viable for a jail. Moreover, the area allotted was insufficient for the facility, and the surrounding environment was not conducive to housing a prison," an officer said.