Big overhaul plan for country’s largest prison

The country’s largest prison complex will be established in Millewa in Horana.

This will pave the way for a mixed development project on the 42 acres that the Welikade prison is now located.

The move follows a joint recommendation to the Cabinet of Ministers by Prime MinisterMahinda Rajapaksa and Justice MinisterAli Sabry. The Premier is also Minister of Urban Development and Housing.

The project was approved by ministers early this month. The Welikada prison that was established in 1869 during the British colonial period has 7,000 inmates and a staff of 1200. The Treasury will provide the funding of Rs 30.6 billion initially. It is to be repaid after the existing land on which the prison is in Welikade is leased out.

Among the reasons given by Premier Rajapaksa and Minister Sabry for the new prisons are: The existing capacity at Welikade has been exceeded due to the rise in crime by over 355 per cent. There are no basic facilities.

The density of population around the prisons consists of state- and privately-owned building of low-income groups. Hence, it is not possible to extend the areas.

The Justice Ministry and the Urban Development Authority have drawn up plans to shift the prisons to Millewa and to re-locate the Prisons Department Headquarters to Battaramulla.

The Urban Development Authority will provide 200 acres of land from the rubber estate at Millewato the Prisons Department on a freehold basis. They will also transfer one acre of land from Battaramulla for the Prisons Department headquarters.

A study has been carried out by the Archaeological Department. They have recommended the retention of some buildings for conservation purposes.

A further ten acres of land in Millewa will be released for a rehabilitation centre for minor offencers.

The Cabinet of Ministers have decided to pay compensation to the workers of Millewa estate and build 70 housing units for them.