Assam government to preserve Jorhat Central Jail as heritage site

This project, with a budget outlay of Rs 100 crore including infrastructure development of the existing jail, would be carried out with joint funding of the state government and the NEC.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma during his visit to Jorhat district on Friday reviewed the project with senior officials of the State government in a meeting held at the office of the Deputy Inspector General of Prisons (Range) Jorhat.

Out of around 350 bighas of land of the Central Jail, a memorial park with convention centre, yoga and meditation centre etc. will be developed in an area covering 150 bighas.

The freedom fighters’ memorial will include names of all the freedom fighters of Assam and the North East starting from the 1857 uprising. The prison cells where martyr Kushal Konwar and social reformer and freedom fighter Pitambar Devagoswami were imprisoned, would also be a part of this memorial park.

As a part of this project, the existing infrastructure of the Central Jail would also be developed and a multi-storey residential complex for the jail officials would be constructed. The state government would soon finalize the Rs 100 crore project.

Jorhat central jail which was constructed during the British rule in India carries the memories of the contribution of the state to India's freedom movement. Many prominent freedom fighters from Assam were imprisoned in this jail.

The Chief Minister during his Independence Day speech had said the State government plans to transform this site into a freedom fighters’ memorial as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav commemorating the 75th year of India’s independence.