Maha govt to start jail tourism in state from Jan 26: Minister

The Maharashtra government willstart 'jail tourism' in the state from Pune's Yerawada prisonon January 26 to facilitate people to visit and see from closequarters the historical prisons, a minister said on Saturday.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Deputy ChiefMinister Ajit Pawar will inaugurate the jail tourisminitiative at Yerawada Central Jail on the Republic Day, stateHome Minister Anil Deshmukh said in a press conference.

This is the first of its kind initiative in thecountry, he claimed.

''Jail tourism in the state will start from theYerawada jail in the first phase. Students from schools,colleges and other people will get a chance to visit thesehistorical places,'' he told reporters at Police Gymkhana here.

''Under the British rule, several freedom fighters,including Mahatma Gandhi, Lokmanya Tilak, Motilal Nehru,Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, SarojiniNaidu, Subhas Chandra Bose had been imprisoned in Yerawadajail and their memories have been preserved there,'' he said.

Deshmukh said that guides will be provided to thevisitors and ticket prices will range from Rs 5 to Rs 50.

''In view of the coronavirus pandemic, only 50 visitorswill be allowed daily,'' he said.

The prisons in Thane, Nashik and Ratnagiri will alsobe part of the jail tourism initiative, the minister added.

PTI CLSNP NP

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