Chanchalguda Central Jail

Chanchalguda Central Jail, located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India, is one of the oldest jails in the country.^[1] The jail is in the old city of Hyderabad at Chanchalguda. It was constructed during the reign of the Nizam of the Hyderabad State,^[2] and remains operational today.

Chanchalguda Central Jail

Location	Hyderabad, India
Coordinates	17.365742°N 78.500068°E / 17.365742; 78.500068
Status	Open
Security class	Maximum
Capacity	1000
Opened	1876

The jail has an official capacity of 1000 inmates, but is said to be overcrowded, with inmate numbers having recently come to exceed 1,600. An average of 40 new inmates arrive at the jail daily.^[3] In 2012, renovations began to update the amenities and expand the occupancy of the jail. Following the introduction of an adult literacy programme, Chanchalguda Central Jail reported a 100% literacy rate from 1989 to 1990.^[1]

Women's prison, Chanchalguda

Economics

Petrol pump adjoining the prison. The guard tower of the prison is seen in the background

A petrol pump staffed by inmates is located adjoining the jail.^[4] The annual turnover of the petrol pump is over ₹100 crore as of 2017.^[5][6] Apart from this, there is also a restaurant staffed by inmates and a store which sells handloom products made by the inmates, including bedsheets and towels.^[7]

References

1. . "TS Prisons Department". tsprisons.gov.in. Archived from the original on 18 February 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
2. "'Richest' Gali now baths under trees at Chanchalguda". The Times of India. 11 September 2011. Archived from the original on 6 November 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
3. "Jails in Hyderabad, Cherlapalli Central Jail, Chanchalguda Jail". hyderabadonline.in. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
4. "Run entirely by prisoners, this Hyderabad petrol bunk is all about second chances". The News Minute. 11 July 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
5. "Hyderabad: These jailbirds earn a profit of Rs 4 crore for prisons department". The Times of India. 6 June 2017. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
6. "Hyderabad: Petrol Pump operated by life convicts earns Rs. 4 crore as profit". business-standard.com. 11 June 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
7. Borah, Prabalika M. (14 December 2018). "My Nation Food Court is a unique initiative of the Prison Department, government of Telangana". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 19 May 2023.