Baitadi prison struggles with severe overcrowding; new building planned

Baitadi: Baitadi Prison has been grappling with serious management challenges due to severe overcrowding.

According to Dhara Bhandari, head of the Prison Office Baitadi, the facility has a capacity for just 25 inmates—15 men and 10 women—but currently houses 63 individuals, including 53 prisoners and 10 detainees.

“The overcrowding has created significant management difficulties,” Bhandari said, adding that female inmates are being transferred to Dadeldhura to ease the pressure. In some cases, cots have been stacked on top of each other to accommodate the excess number of prisoners.

The prison, built in 2040 BS, is an old, zinc-roofed structure that suffers from leaks during the rainy season and extreme cold in winter. Despite its deteriorated condition, no replacement facility has been constructed in the decades since.

Officials say the problem is compounded by the need to house far more prisoners than the prison was designed for. However, relief may be in sight, as a new building is planned under the current fiscal year. A contract agreement has been signed with a construction company through the Intensive Urban and Building Construction Project, Doti, to build the facility at a cost of Rs. 10 crore. Construction is expected to begin between Asoj and Kartik.