Bengaluru: The government, which has given the green signal to the ‘petrol bunk project’ of the Prisons and Correctional Service Department, has also instructed to set up charging units for electric vehicles outside the prisons. By giving its approval to the much-awaited petrol bunk project, the government has written a prelude to the ‘new industry’ of the country’s prisoners. These bunks will be managed entirely by prisoners, and the Prisons Department hopes that this project will generate income for the department and provide employment to the prisoners. The state’s first petrol bunk managed by prisoners will be set up on 10,000 square feet outside the Parappana Agrahara Central Jail. HPL is partnering for this. Later, bunks will be set up in four more places in phases, senior officials have informed.

Already, prisoners have grown and brought vegetables to the market, not only ready-made clothes, bakery items, stationery, and household items in prisons. The department had planned to utilize prisoners engaged in cottage industries and agricultural activities to run petrol stations. Also, the neighboring state of Telangana had successfully started a petrol station business with prisoners. The officials who came forward to implement this project in the state had visited petrol stations in Telangana, inspected them, and submitted a comprehensive report to the government. Officials said that after inspecting the options, the government finally gave its approval to the petrol station project after two and a half years. The prison department had submitted a proposal to the state government to start petrol stations in 5 central prisons in the state, including Bangalore, Mysore, Belgaum, Kalubargi, and Vijayapura. The department had proposed to use the unused land belonging to them for commercial purposes. 10,000 sq ft of land in Parappana Agrahara, Bengaluru, and two acres of land elsewhere have been identified for the establishment of the bunk.

In the wake of the electricity dispute, officials have taken the initiative to set up a charging unit for electric vehicles in prisons. The government has instructed to set up an electric charging unit in the vacant areas of the prison. Similarly, the unit has been started and these will also be run by the prisoners, officials said.