The first phase of Islamabad Model Jail has been completed at a cost of approximately Rs. 7 billion, with the facility expected to be inaugurated soon after years of delays.
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has completed construction work on the project in Sector H-16. The first phase includes three barracks capable of accommodating around 1,500 inmates and a 35-bed hospital.
According to a CDA official, the buildings are being cleaned ahead of the inauguration, while landscaping and horticulture work is in its final stages. The Islamabad administration has also deployed the necessary staff.
The official said either the prime minister or the interior minister is expected to inaugurate the facility soon, adding that all major construction work has been completed.
The project was originally approved in 2016 at an estimated cost of Rs. 3.9 billion and was scheduled for completion in 2019. However, funding shortages and other issues repeatedly delayed construction, leading to a revision of the project’s PC-I.
Initially, the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration was responsible for the project, with funding provided by the federal government. Construction was assigned to the now-defunct Public Works Department (PWD), but progress remained slow for several years.
The project was handed over to CDA last year, which subsequently completed the first phase. The total expenditure of around Rs. 7 billion includes funds previously utilized by PWD.
Once inaugurated, the facility will allow Islamabad authorities to house prisoners involved in cases registered in the federal capital. Currently, Islamabad relies on Punjab’s Adiala Jail, which is already facing overcrowding.
An official expressed hope that the remaining phase would also be completed on a priority basis. He added that the jail would provide facilities required under the jail manual, including food, laundry services, and medical treatment.
The post Islamabad’s New Model Jail Ready to Open After Nearly 10 Years appeared first on ProPakistani.