A view of the Birsa Munda Central Jail, which was inaugurated by chief minister Arjun Munda. Pictures by Prashant Mitra

Ranchi, Nov. 16: The Birsa Munda Central Jail at Hotwar has been inaugurated finally, after three failed attempts of the state government.

The jail, with a capacity of 3,215 inmates, was inaugurated by chief minister Arjun Munda today, not amid much fanfare but before a set of empty chairs reserved for political leaders and dignitaries.

Although Munda said the whole set-up will be on a par with the ?international standards? of human values, the incomplete work at the sprawling 68 acres of the jail premises apparently gave a different picture.

With the security a major concern after the Jehanabad ?Operation Jailbreak? the home department officials have suddenly began to count upon the army, ?hoping? that they would do the job for the police.

The reason: Hotwar, 14 km from the state capital, lies in the army zone with the Dipatoli and Namkum Cantonments cordoning it off from both sides.

The jail, where all the 610 prisoners of the present Birsa Munda Jail will be shifted by this weekend has been facing a huge staff crunch with just 40 personnel, against a required 80, posted there on security duty. The remaining posts remain vacant, as there has not been any new recruitment in the past 25 years. At present, some unarmed home guards are on temporary security duty in the jail, which senior police officials think ?Maoists would not dare to attack?.

According to sources, with three shifting dates already falling flat and the media on constant attack the home department wanted to finish the debate once and for all. ?The criticisms were getting harder with each passing day. The higher officials did not want to make the whole thing much more complicated as three dates have been cancelled. Though the prison is almost complete, there are many things need to be installed. We cannot say confidently that the new prison is fully complete,? said a jail officer, on conditions of anonymity.

A majority of invitees, including different magistrates and judges, MLAs and bureaucrats did not turn up for the show. However, Munda seemed to be unfazed about the poor turn out. However, home minister Sudesh Mahto was not impressed as he was seen engaged in a serious discussion with Munda pointing at the vacant seats.

The officials said at present there are no barracks against the proposed construction of four. Against a requirement of 25 assistant jailers, there are just two at present. Moreover, there are no nurses against the need of 35 while only one paramedical staff is there against the immediate need for 23.

The roads leading to the prison, construction of which began in 2002,have not been built as yet. The video-conferencing room remains half-completed and the same can be said about the waiting rooms.

The jail, claimed to be the largest in the country, is also without any vehicles, including the motor bikes that the personnel will use to move from one end of the campus to the other.

However, a confident J.B. Tubid, home secretary, said: ?This prison will be an example for the other states. It can be termed as the biggest in the country. The Tihar jail is scattered all along unlike this, which is under a single roof. We thought it would not be right at present to shift the prisoners today owing to security reasons.?

A senior police official said: ?The red brigade will have to think many a time before attacking a building situated right in the middle of an army area.?

Inspector-general (prisons) Sabhapati Khuswaha claimed that they had invited everybody to witness the ?grand opening?.