Chandigarh, September 18, 2026:The Governor of Punjab and Administrator, U.T. Chandigarh, Shri Gulab Chand Kataria, today laid the foundation stone for the construction of additional barracks at Model Jail, Sector 51, Chandigarh. The ₹26.73-crore project, with a targeted completion period of 24 months, will add accommodation for 552 prisoners and strengthen the correctional, administrative, security and rehabilitation infrastructure of the jail.

The project has been undertaken by the Chandigarh Administration to meet the growing accommodation and operational requirements of Model Jail and to provide a modern, secure and sustainable correctional environment.

The new infrastructure will include a Ground-plus-Two-Storey Administrative Block, Central Administrative Block with Watch Tower, Factory Shed for vocational training and rehabilitation activities, accommodation blocks, three sentry posts and a boundary wall. The project will also include internal roads and parking facilities, water supply, sewerage and other public-health services, CCTV surveillance, LAN connectivity, firefighting systems and lifts.

The additional barracks and associated facilities will incorporate rainwater harvesting, solar power and GRIHA-compliant sustainable infrastructure, with emphasis on energy efficiency and environmentally responsible construction.

The project is aimed at enhancing the capacity, security and operational efficiency of Model Jail, while strengthening facilities for prisoner welfare, vocational training and rehabilitation. The factory shed will provide space for vocational and rehabilitation activities to support the reintegration of prisoners.

On completion, the project will provide additional accommodation for prisoners along with upgraded administrative, security, vocational and support facilities, thereby strengthening the overall functioning of Model Jail in line with contemporary correctional standards.

The ceremony was attended by the Chief Secretary, U.T. Chandigarh Shri H. RajeshPrasad; Home Secretary, Shri MandipSinghBrar; Director General of Police, U.T. Chandigarh Dr. Sagar Preet Hooda; Inspector General (Prisons) Shri Pushpendra Kumar; Chief Engineer, C. B. Ojha; Chief Architect, Rajiv Kumar Mehta, and other senior officers of the Police and Engineering Departments.

The Chandigarh Administration remains committed to modernising correctional institutions, improving prisoner welfare and rehabilitation, and ensuring robust security and efficient institutional management.