Bhimphedi, July 9

The Central Regional Prison at Bhimphedi is so severely short of space that 465 male inmates have been housed in the under-construction female ward with a capacity of 200 inmates.

Prison Chief Chiranjibi Thapa said as many as 120 inmates are housed in a prison block with the capacity of holding only 30. “Many inmates sleep in the passages because of lack of rooms,” he informed.

The prison administration said that the problem arose after many prisoners were transferred to Bhimphedi before construction of infrastructures. The prisoners were transferred to the under-construction female ward around five years ago. The administration informed that the female inmates were being transferred to Parsa and Chitwan prisons.

Inmates have also been facing an acute water crisis. “We have not been able to provide sufficient water to our inmates owing to the continuing construction work,” Thapa informed.

The inmates make bags, cushions, handkerchiefs, and other tools, but have a hard time getting market excess.

Inmates of Makawanpur, Bara, Parsa, Rautahat and Chitwan, among other districts of the central region will be accommodated after the completion of the prison house. The male ward will accommodate 1,200 inmates.