Prison building project in Mirpurkhas incomplete even after 10 years

MIRPURKHAS: The new district prison building project of Mirpurkhas, which was launched 10 years ago, has not been   completed yet even after consuming Rs499 million.  The delay is said to have been caused by a dispute on the land of the project between revenue and prison departments.

Sources privy to the development revealed that construction of new district prison with a capacity of 500 prisoners was started in May 2006 after the approval of Rs268.263 million as the total project cost. 

However, during the last 10 years the project cost spiraled up to Rs823.957 million, almost three times the original estimate.  Around Rs499.453 million have been spent on this project, and now the authorities concerned learnt that there was a land dispute between the
revenue and the administrative department prisons.  As per a briefing given to the prison
authorities, the cost of scheme was first revised in 2012 and then in 2015. The existing district jail was originally a judicial lockup meant for 70 prisoners, having no space for additional construction or expansion.  The then IG of prisons had recommended a proper district jail in Mirpurkhas.