The iron gates of the 150-year-old Central Prison in Chennai, one of the country's oldest, was closed for the last time on Monday, with the building all set to be razed to make way for expansion of the nearby general hospital, as well as a station for the proposed Metro rail project.
The 14.3 acre land would be used for expansion of the General Hospital and construction of a station for the proposed Rs 10,000 crore Metro rail project, DGP (Prisons) R Natraj, told reporters in Chennai.
Taking a stroll across the prison for one last time, Natraj expressed happiness over the place giving way for a hospital and railway station.
"The demolition is scheduled for the day after tomorrow. We have no regrets that it is going to be brought down, as it is meant for public use," he said.
The Central Prison was shifted from Chennai to Puzhal near Chennai for want of better facilities, especially leaking walls and "haphazard construction" to the original building, he said.
What started in 1837 as a transit camp for prisoners being taken to other major prisons, especially the Cellular Jail in Andaman and Nicobar, the erstwhile Central prison was given that recognition in 1855, he said.
The jail had freedom fighter Veer Savarkar lodged there in Block number 24 during its transit camp days, he said.
Hanging of death row convicts had been stopped in Chennai since the 1970s, he said, adding it was "a good decision" to demolish the building, since it paved way for the land to be used in better ways.