FINANCIAL CHRONICLE — In response to the pressing issue of prison overcrowding exacerbated by ongoing nationwide anti-drug initiatives, Sri Lanka is implementing a comprehensive strategy that includes infrastructure development, recruitment within prison institutions, and rehabilitation efforts, as stated by Minister Nalinda Jayatissa.
Jayatissa noted, “As anti-drug operations continue to be conducted outside, resulting in increased arrests and subsequent detentions, we are also focusing on strategies to alleviate prison overcrowding.”
The government has successfully completed the construction of staff accommodations at the Pallekele prison and initiated a new inmate housing complex with an estimated budget of 1.78 billion rupees. Additionally, a two-story building complex at Pallansena has been allocated for inmate use, and a warehouse facility at Mahara prison has been finalized at a cost of 22.5 million rupees, with an additional 61 million rupees earmarked for ongoing construction projects.
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To address overcrowding in urban areas, Jayatissa mentioned that temporary facilities at the Welikada and Magazine prisons in Colombo are nearing completion. He also highlighted the establishment of a specialized high-security facility at the Welisara Navy Camp, designed to enhance national security with the inclusion of high-security cells.
The government has planned several mid-term initiatives extending through 2029, which includes a budget allocation of 446.9 million rupees for the construction of two buildings at Wataraka prison. A second phase of a remand wing, estimated at 1.77 billion rupees, is expected to begin in 2027, along with separate plans for a high-security area.
In Kalutara, structural redevelopment is underway to replace aging facilities, while a new sewerage system at Kuruvita has received 288 million rupees for improvements. Furthermore, expansion projects have commenced at Wariyapola prison with an estimated budget of 4.62 billion rupees. Plans are also in place to relocate the Matara prison to Kotavila by 2029, involving an investment of 5.18 billion rupees, while initial revisions are being made to move the main Colombo prison to Milwala in Horana.
