In view of the recent cases involving breach of protocol in jails across the state, the Uttar Pradesh government has given the prison department a nod to build 20 new hi-tech jails in UP. As part of these efforts to strengthen the prison system in Uttar Pradesh, existing jails in the state will undergo redevelopment and upgradation.

In 11 UP districts including Amethi and Mahoba, there are existing prisons with a capacity of 990 inmates each. The new jails in Shamli and Lalitpur districts will boast an inmate capacity of up to 2,000 each, while new prisons in Muzaffarnagar and Moradabad will have a capacity of 3,000 inmates. Furthermore, the government has approved funds for repair of Bareilly's old jail, as well as several other jails across UP.

Meanwhile, district jails in Shravasti (502 prisoners) and Prayagraj (2,688 prisoners), construction for which is already in full swing, are expected to be ready by March end. The construction of a new prison with a capacity of 5,000 is already underway in Kanpur. Also, other jails of varying capacity in Varanasi and Shahjahanpur are also being built.