Jail tourism in the offing

Thiruvanthapuram: Where it is a nightmare for most people to even imagine a day in the jail, Kerala’s prison department is offering jail experience for a fee. Wannabe tourists can spend a day in the jail wearing prison uniform, and eating simple jail food. The department has handed over a recommendation regarding this to the government.

Authorities say that the project will be launched alongside the upcoming ‘jail museum’ in the Viyyur central jail premises, in Thrissur. Separate blocks for men and women will be set up.

Booking the cell by remitting fee online will allow twenty-four hour stay in the jail. The plan is aimed at allowing people to savour the jail experience. However, they can’t interact with jail inmates. The government has earmarked six crore rupees in the budget for both the jail museum and the tourism project this fiscal.

The blueprint for the jail museum has been chalked out. The museum will have on display gallows, handcuffs from both British and royal periods, outfits of jail officials, the ‘ black warrant’ order for hanging convicts, antique documents, and pictures, among others.

Additionally, arrangements will be made to sell jail products. The project will be rolled out within a year of receiving the financial assistance from the government. States including Telangana offer one-day jail experience for rupees five hundred per day.