While talking about Delhi and writing about the most sought after places here, it becomes absolutely impossible not to mention the Tihar Jail (prisons), and it would actually not do justice to the high profile, extremely infamous, a culprits nightmare the most undesirable TIHAR JAIL.
The Tihar Jail which the authorities and inmates now prefer to refer to it as the Tihar Ashram, is the largest complex of prisons not only in India, but in South Asia. It is located near the Tihar village, approximately 7 km from the city center, to the west of saddi Dilli. The surrounding area is called Hari Nagar and the road on which it is located is called the Jail Road. Other than the Tihar Jail, the Jail Road is also famous for its commercial and domestic furniture market, which extends to almost the entire length of the 2 km long road and houses over 150 furniture shops on both sides.
The Central Jail, Tihar was setup in 1958 on the land of Tihar Village. Since the beginning, only one Central Jail was commissioned with the lodging capacity of 1273 prisoners. The prison population gradually grew and today as many as 11000 odd inmates are lodged here. Delhi Prisons are under the administrative control of Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi headed by Shri Tejender Khanna, Lt. Governor, Government of Delhi. The Chief Minister of Delhi Smt. Shiela Dikshit is the minister in charge of Prison Department.
The high security prison complex houses 9 separate wards. These are for convicts, for first time offenders, for long term under-trials, adolescents, women and high security prisoners. Though can be cramped at times; however there is a proper air circulation system in all wards. The authorities have ensured to not leave any electrical fixtures inside the wards. The prison houses an in-built mechanism for CCTV and optical fiber cable network. The complex has been fitted with dual water supply system, a solar heating system, an R.O. system, an in-house sewage treatment plant and a rain water harvesting system. All the buildings are energy conscious and provision of separate prison for high security prisoners and first time offenders is made to ensure total segregation.
This Delhi prison has also been awarded with various ISO certifications for its services like model ward of central jail no.1, CPRO at gate No. 3 & 4, drug de-addiction center of central jail No.3, jail factory & Tihar baking school of central jail no.2 and the women jail.
In the past years, the Tihar Jail compound has taken the most dreaded, naughty, high profile and political prisoners on board. Today a large number of NGOs are also involved in reformatory & correctional programs in the jail in the field of yoga, meditation, education, vocational training, crèche, drug de-addiction, health counseling & rehabilitation, child education for inmate’s children etc. The in-house store TJ’s, today sells to the general public, products produced from the inmates which range from handloom, furniture, bakery goods, handmade paper products, paintings, apparel, etc.
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