135-year-old Warangal Jail slides into history

Hyderabad, June 14

The 135-year-old Nizam era Warangal Central Jail in Telangana became history with the authorities demolishing the prison structures to build a multi super-specialty hospital.

The demolition work, which was taken up on Sunday on a massive scale, was almost completed within 24 hours.

Spread over 59.5 acres the jail was built in 1885 by the government of Nizam Mir Mahbub Ali Khan VI, the ruler of then Hyderabad State. Many prominent personalities including those who took part in the Indian freedom struggle, Telangana Peasants' Movement, and Telangana Statehood movement were imprisoned in this jail in Warangal town.

Amid reports that some individuals are planning to move the High Court seeking directions to stop demolition of the jail, the authorities deployed heavy machinery to complete the work at a brisk pace.

The operation was completed with secrecy as all approach roads were sealed and even mediapersons were not given access to the area.

It was the second-largest jail in Telangana.

Earlier this month, all 957 prisoners imprisoned there were shifted to jails in Mahabubabad, Chanchalguda, Cherlapally open-air jail, Nizamabad, Adilabad, and Khammam.

The state government has allocated Rs 250 crore for a new central prison for Warangal. Director General of TS Prisons Rajiv Trivedi said the new jail will be built near Mamnoor fourth battalion police camp premises on the outskirts of Warangal.

Officials carried out a survey of the 100-acre land for building the new jail. Meanwhile, the state government has decided to build a 24-storeyed building for the super multi-specialty hospital coming in place of the old prison. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao said this hospital will have better medical facilities than any other such hospital in the country.

He directed officials to provide all modern facilities including a helipad facility on the terrace for landing of helicopters bringing patients for emergency care. The chief minister will be laying foundation stone for the hospital on June 21. IANS