Bajura prisoners relocated to Achham and Nepalgunj amid reconstruction

Bajura: Inmates from Bajura Prison have been transferred to other facilities as the old prison building undergoes reconstruction. According to prison authorities, 49 prisoners have been relocated to Nepalgunj, while 18 detainees have been sent to Achham.

The relocation follows a directive from the Urban Development Office, Doti, and the contractor responsible for the project, requesting that the existing prison be vacated for new construction. Acting on the directive, Bajura Prison notified the District Administration Office, which subsequently sought approval from the Department of Prison Management in Kathmandu. Approval was granted, enabling the transfer of inmates to Nepalgunj and Achham.

Built in 2037 BS with a capacity of just 25 inmates, Bajura Prison had been accommodating 67 prisoners and detainees. Authorities said repeated demands had been made to renovate and expand the facility.

Administrator Anil Kumar Tiwari confirmed that a new, well-equipped prison will be constructed at a cost of Rs 93.5 million under the Reconstruction Authority’s Intensive Urban Development program. “All tenders will be issued, and construction will begin from Asoj,” Tiwari said, adding that the Urban Development Office, Doti, will oversee the project before it is monitored and approved.

The new prison will feature a capacity of 75 male and 25 female inmates, along with an administration building, security guard quarters, toilets, a playground, drinking water facilities, and other physical infrastructure within the compound.