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Jail tourism initiative: 500 visit Yerawada since 2021
On January 26, 2021, the prison department of Maharashtra launched its jail tourism initiative starting with the 150-year-old Yerawada Central Prison in Pune
On January 26, 2021, the prison department of Maharashtra launched its jail tourism initiative starting with the 150-year-old Yerawada Central Prison in Pune. At least 500 tourists have visited the Yerawada jail since 2021, said officials on Tuesday.
Constructed in 1866, Yerawada Central Prison is the largest jail in Maharashtra and has cells named after Mahatma Gandhi and Lokmanya Tilak which is part of the tour for visitors. Considering its historical importance, the first phase of the initiative began from here. In the second phase, tourists will be allowed to tour Ratnagiri, Thane and Nagpur jails.
Joint CP Sunil Ramanand said, “Around 500 tourists visited since 2021. The number is less due to the pandemic and we had stopped taking tourists as a precautionary measure. Now, the service is reopened and we are taking a batch of 15 tourists per day.We have received many applications to visit jail from colleges and students and hoping footfall would increase soon.”
This initiative will be soon started in Thane jail, said Ramanand.
Freedom fighters including Mahatma Gandhi,Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Lokmanya Tilak, Pandit Jawaharlal and Motilala Nehru were imprisoned in Yerawada jail. The historical ‘Poona Pact’ on the reservation of electoral seats for the depressed classes was singed between Dr BR Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi in 1932 in Yerawada jail. Under this initiative, visitors can also explore ‘Hanging Barrack’ where death sentence is carried out. In this barrack, the Chaphekar brothers were hanged for assassination of British plague commissioner of Pune Walter Charles Rand. Ajmal Kasab was the last prisoner to be hanged in this barrack in 2012 for 26/11 terrorist attack on Mumbai and later buried in same area, added Ramanand.
Know how to visit Yerawada jail
-Those who wish to tour Yerawada jail can contact the superintendent on 020-26682663 and submit an application
-After scrutinising application permission is granted
-Nominal fee ₹5 levied for school students, ₹10 for college students and ₹ 50 for individual tourists
-Tourists need to carry identity cards, Aadhar Card
-Tourists are not allowed to carry mobile phones, camera, water bottles, eatables, luggage inside the jail
