Shillong, Mar 21: The state government is in the process of speeding up the setting up of a Central Jail in the state. The objective of the central jail is to segregate the convicts from the under trial prisoners (UTPs), which will also to a great extent help in decongesting the overcrowded Shillong District Jail.

Unlike other states, Meghalaya is yet to have its own central jail where only the convicts are kept.

“Everything has been done. We are just waiting for the land to be handed over to us. Once that is done then we will ask the PWD to make the master plan (so that) things will start,” Inspector General of Prisons M Kharkrang told journalists on Monday.

25 acres of land has been allotted to the department in the New Shillong Township.

“It is a very big project, so I don’t see that we will be able to move in so early, at the earliest maybe it will take about 3-4 years,” Kharkrang said.

He further informed that the department is planning to complete the construction of the Nongstoin district jail. Only 60 per cent of the work has been completed so far, he added.

At present, the Shillong District Jail is housing over 464 inmates against its capacity of 175 inmates.

“Of 464 inmates, 448 are males and 16 females,” he said.