Jharpara special jail in Bhubaneswar. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, March 8: The state government has asked the Khurda district collector to identify land for shifting the Jharpara jail.

“Once the Khurda district collector, Rupa Mishra, sends her report, the government will act accordingly to relocate the jail,” an official said.

The plan to shift the special jail at Jharpara has gained momentum with the standing committee of the Assembly suggesting that it should be moved to the outskirts of the city because of the rise in the number of houses and educational institutes around the jail. The standing committee’s report was tabled in the Assembly on Thursday.

Chairman of the standing committee Ramesh Chandra Chyau Patnaik said: “The committee finds that Jharpara Jailm located in the Laxmi Sagar area, has now become a prime residential locality with establishment of various educational institutions, residential colonies and business houses.”

Installation of jammers and movement of the jail inmates’ relatives in the area disturbs hinders peace in the residential areas, the committee said in its report.

“Keeping all these thing in mind, we recommend that the existing jail be shifted to a suitable alternative site within a distance of 15-20km of the city,” said Patnaik.

Senior government officials said the government had agreed in principle to shift the jail and the budgetary allocation would be provided by the prison administration. “There would be no dearth of money for this. But it requires a lot of time to build a new infrastructure,” said a senior government official of the prison administration.

However, officials have made it clear that the jail would not be shifted to existing Biju Patnaik Open Air Jail at Jamjhari.

“We will shift the Jharapara jail to a new campus,” said an official.

The present jail is located across 30 acres.