Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Wednesday approved the design and plan for three "ultra-modern, high-security jails" at Amritsar, Bathinda and Muktsar to be constructed within two years.
At a meeting here, the chief minister also asked the jail department to install CCTV cameras and other security equipment in these upcoming central jails, besides chalking out the modalities to ban two-storied constructions up to 100 feet from the outer walls.
The department would adopt consolidated tendering for these jails to ensure participation of big construction companies for quality work, a spokesman said.
While the jail in Amritsar would be constructed over an area of 49 acres, the Bathinda jail would be on 38 acres. Both would accommodate 2,000 prisoners each. The Muktsar jail on 24 acres would accommodate 1,000 inmates.
Badal asked jail authorities to create educational and sports facilities in these new jails, besides skill-learning opportunities for the inmates.