Infrastructure

Gym Facility for inmates was inaugurated by His Excellency Governor Punjab and Administrator, UT, Chandigarh Sh. V. P. Singh Badnore. It has a Multi-station, A Commercial Treadmill, Cycles, Abs-trainer, Incliner, Exercise Balls, twisters etc. It is very beneficial in keeping inmate healthy, staying away from negativity and negative activities. It also helps in reducing expenditure on medicines.

Although inmates are either convicted for a crime or accused of a crime but their basic human rights except liberty cannot be curtailed. In view of this inmates are provided with infotainment through LED Television. Inmates are allowed to see only four channels, controlled through a service of modulator and dernodulators. Inmates are allowed to see TV from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM only. However, the programmes of National importance like Republic Day Parade etc. are allowed to watch during live telecasts.

To provide extra study material to the inmates enrolled in various educational programs, different books on different acadamic faculties are available in the library. Various Novels, Autobiography, Biography & Story Books in different local languages are available in the library. Religious Books like Ramayan, Gita, Guru Granth Sahib, Quran, Bible are also available in the library. Proper sitting arrangement is provided to the inmates in scheduled manner.

To practice cultural activities a music room has been ear marked. Different musical instrument like Harmonium, Tabla, Dholki, Dholak, Dufli, Khartal, Chimta, Tumbi, Flute, Guitar, Drum pad, Octapad & Musical Keyboard etc. are provided. A good quality sound system is also available for live performances and practice. Costumes for Bhangra, Group Dance & Various Drama & Skits are also available.

Shopping-cum-Visitor Complex was inaugurated by Hon’ble Member of Parliament from Chandigarh, Smt. Kirron Kher in the august presence of Sh. Parimal Rai, Adviser to the Administrator, UT, Chandigarh and Sh. Anurag Aggarwal, Home Secretary, Chandigarh Administration. It have four Shops out of which one is for display and sale of jail products and other three shops are for licensing out for Canteen, Grocery items and General Electronics and repair. This Shopping Complex caters the demands of residents of Jail Campus, Adjoining Society and Visitor to Inmates. Now the General public can easily see and buy the jail products without going through any special security checks.

Due to Non-availability of nearby market and ATM jail staff and CRPF Staff posted at jail was facing difficulty since long. Visitors to inmates were also facing problem for withdrawing cash for disposing to the account of their relative inmates. On Feb, 2017, Prison Administration in collaboration with HDFC bank opened an ATM for the Prison Staff and Shopping-cum-Visitor Complex.

To provide visitors to inmates a transparent and hasselfree environment, a Computerized Mulakat Room and Waiting Room is prepared at Shopping Complex, Gate No. 1. Visitors have to register at this place to get issue a Visitor Pass.

See Registration Rules and process. Click here

A 100 KVA Solar Power Plant has been installed on the roof top of Some barracks of Model Jail, Chandigarh. A 50 KVA Solar Power Plant is also being setup at the roof top of newly constructed female ward.

As per the guidelines issued by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, New Delhi in R. D. Upadhayay versus State of Andhra Pradesh case, a crèche has been constructed in Jail Complex, however it is outside the core area of jail where inmates are lodged. Crèche facility is used for children of female inmates as well as children of jail staff. An effort has been made to connect innocent child of inmates to the outer world. Children are also sent to picnic on various local spots once a month under the care and protection of jail staff (female and male).

To provide cool and pure water to the inmate’s Water cooler along with water purifiers are installed in every Barrack.

Canteen has been established in Jail to facilitate the supply of authorised articles like eatables, toiletories, writting materials, post cards, under garments, shoes etc. of reasonable prices. The profit earned from the Jail canteen are utilized for sports and cultural activities, celebration of National Festivals, other festivals and for other recreational purposes as per Punjab Jail Canteen Management Rules, 1965. Friends and relatives of inmates can deposit money for them. At present weekly limit is ? 1000/-. Cash is not allowed inside the Jail. Coupons were issued in leiu of cash till 2013. Since 2013 cashless system through computerized account is in place.

The inmates are provided free education in the jail. IGNOU study Centre offers higher education like Graduation, Post Graduation, Degree & Diploma Programs. National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) offers Matriculation & 10+2 Course. Adult Education Centre is being run in collaboration with Adult Education Department, UT Chandigarh to provide reading & writing skills to illitrates.

Physiotherapy has been started at Model jail, Chandigarh for the inmates who requires physiotherapy and physiotherapy sessions are done daily.

An AC Ambulance is available in the jail round the clock to shift the inmates in emergency cases to Government Hospitals such as GMCH, Sector-32, Chandigarh, GMSH, Sector-16, Chandigarh, PGIMER, Chandigarh. The ambulance is equipped with resuscitative facilities like oxygen cylinder with mask, splints, ambu bag etc. The inmates are referred to Emergency OPD in the jail ambulance. One room for prisoners is available at GMSH, Sector-16, Chandigarh for the admission/nursing care of inmates.

To provide refreshment to the visitor of inmates a canteen is available. Visitors and Jail Staff can purchase Jail Sweets, Snacks and Food Thali on reasonable price.

After the moving of visitor Mulakat Registration Room from Gate No. 2 to Gate No. 1 facility of e-rickshaw was introduced to ferry physically challenged persons, Old and Sick persons. Above said category are provided priority; however other categories are also allowed to board on e-rickshaw. This facility is free of cost.

Community Centre was inaugurated by Hon’ble Member of Parliament from Chandigarh, Smt. Kirron Kher in the august presence of Sh. Parimal Rai, Adviser to the Administrator, UT, Chandigarh and Sh. Anurag Aggarwal, Home Secretary, Chandigarh Administration. Jail Staff is bound to stay at jail round the clock and they were facing great hardship to arrange their marriages and Social functions etc.

As the Gym facility was provided to inmate Administration feels it worthy to provide this facility to jail staff also. Building for Gym for staff has been constructed and procurement of equipments is under process.

To cater fee needs of the guests of the Jail Staff one officers house is converted into Guest House.

Mr. Justice Rajesh Bindal of Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh inaugurated Second Video Conferencing Studio in the Model Jail, Chandigarh on 16.10.2018. Dr. O.P. Mishra, IPS, Inspector General of Prisons, UT, Chandigarh, Sh. Balbir Singh District and Sessions Judge, Chandigarh, Sh. Satish Kumar Jain, HCS, Addl. Inspector General of Prisons, UT, Chandigarh were also present on this occasion. Hon’ble Punjab and Haryana High Court had allotted Rs. 1.75 Lakh for purchase of Video conferencing devises. Now, more number of prisoners may be produced through Video Conferencing and even trial may be conducted on case to case basis. It will not only reduce the expenditure on the transportation of prisoners to the court but it will also prevent security risks. It was informed by the IG Prisons to the Hon’ble Justice that three more Video Conferencing Studios will be set up in near future. He also added that during this year 3271 number of inmates produced in Chandigarh Courts and 401 number of inmates were produced in outside Chandigarh Courts through Video Conferencing and it saves cores of government funds.

The Adviser to the Administrator, UT, Chandigarh inaugurated an Outlet namely ‘Srijan’ at Sector-22, Chandigarh for the sale of Jail products. This will bring creative side of inmates in the preview of the public which will increase acceptability of inmates in public as reformed citizen after their release.

Sh. Paramjit Singh, District & Sessions Judge, Chandigarh, CJM and Sh. Ombir Singh, IG Prisons.(17-08-2019)

Drug De-addiction Centre which is named as “Rupantran Kendra” has been set up in the Model Jail, Chandigarh. Sh. V.P. Singh Badnore, Hon’ble Governor, Punjab & Administrator, UT, Chandigarh inaugurated the Rupantran Kendra in the Model Jail, Chandigarh on 12.02.2020 at 11.30 AM. Sh. Manoj Parida, IAS, Adviser to the Administrator, UT, Chandigarh, Sh. Arun Kumar, IAS, Principal Secretary Home, Sh. Sanjay Beniwal, IPS, DGP Chandigarh, Sh. Omvir Singh, IPS, I.G. Prisons, Chandigarh, Sh. Mandeep Brar, IAS, DC UT Chandigarh, Mrs. Nilambari Jagadale, IPS, SSP UT Chandigarh and Sh. Virat, HCS, Joint I.G. Prisons were present on this occasion.

The Hon’ble Governor has  simultaneously inaugurated another Project called ‘Rupantran Project’ in collaboration with Psychology department of Panjab University Chandigarh. The aim of the project ‘Rupantran’ is to provide psychological counselling to the inmates and thereby transforming the lives of prisoners with an object to rehabilitate them. There will be standard operating procedure/protocol for counseling of habitual offenders. This project has multiple benefits to sensitize stake holders to factors influencing criminality, to plan prevention and anti social behaviour on the basis of results amongst habitual offenders, to help prisoners embrace  normal life by enhancing their well being and mental health.

                   The Inspector General of Prisons UT, Chandigarh welcomed the Chief Guest and apprised the ongoing works of the Jail and details about the Rupantran Kendra and Project.  

                   A musical concert was also organized on this occasion Ms. Gurleen Kaur, Vikram and Arpit of a group called Soul’ Diet. The Hon’ble Governor addressed the gathering of inmates and stated that Model Jail, Chandigarh is undoubtedly one of the best prison in India. He further stated that  any prison can have world class infrastructure and high level of cleanliness and all facilities for the inmates and the staff but the Project like Rupantran is the real work which should be executed in all the prisons not in India but around the world. He further said that this Rupantran work can be considered as “ the Soul” of any prison. This project will have positive outcome in near future. He further praises the involvement of faculty members of Panjab University and encouraged the jail administration for similar kind of visionary works in the future. He also praised the talent of Soul’s Diet group.