Mumbai Central Jail, also known as Arthur Road Jail, will soon get four watch towers to keep an eye on activities outside the jail, prevent jail escapes and stop people from throwing things inside the jail, according to a government resolution issued on Tuesday.
The jail, located in the densely populated area of Jacob Circle, is surrounded by slums on two sides. In 2015, a committee appointed by the Maharashtra government to study prison security had put it in the risk category.
The committee had recommended the removal of the slums, which never happened. Since then, several high-rise residential and commercial buildings have come up in the vicinity, increasing the security risk, officials said. According to the GR, the state government has sanctioned INR 1.21 crore for the construction of four watch towers for Arthur Road Jail. INR 2.80 crore has also been sanctioned to build a multi-purpose hall in the jail.
"We did not have a hall inside the jail so we could not conduct any educational or recreational programmes or remedial procedures. We had written to senior officials seeking sanction for a hall. A small structure will be demolished and a hall of 2,800 sq ft will be constructed," a jail official said.