Chanchalguda Central Prison launched “Feel the Jail,” allowing the public to experience prison life for 12 or 24 hours by staying in cells, eating inmate food and following jail routines, with authorities aiming to promote awareness about incarceration, discipline and the value of personal freedom.
Chanchalguda Central Prison in Hyderabad introduced “Feel the Jail,” a unique initiative that gives members of the public an opportunity to experience prison life firsthand for either 12 or 24 hours. The programme is aimed at helping people understand the realities of incarceration while also highlighting the importance of personal freedom and discipline.
As part of the experience, participants will stay in specially created prison cells, eat the same food served to inmates, and follow routines similar to those observed inside the jail. Authorities have fixed the fee for the 24-hour experience at Rs 2,000, while the 12-hour programme will cost Rs 1,000.
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Alongside the initiative, officials also inaugurated a new Jail Museum at the State Institute of Correctional Administration (SICA), Chanchalguda. The museum traces the history and transformation of prisons from the Nizam era to present-day correctional systems. Exhibits include old prison shackles and cells, details about prison industries, rehabilitation initiatives, and the role played by inmates in building the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam.
The museum further highlights the lives and stories of noted prisoners such as Bhakta Ramadasu and Dasarathi Krishnamacharyulu, offering visitors insight into the historical and cultural significance of the prison system in the region.
The Chanchalguda initiative draws inspiration from the earlier “one-day jail experience” introduced at the Sangareddy Heritage Prison Museum, which had earlier gained widespread public attention and curiosity.
The programme and museum were inaugurated by Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla in the presence of prison officials and dignitaries. Officials stated that the initiative is intended to create awareness about law, discipline, and prison administration, particularly among young people.
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Calling prisons “centres of reform and transformation,” Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla said a progressive society must focus not only on punishment but also on rehabilitation and second chances.
Telangana Prisons authorities described the Chanchalguda project as a more structured and interactive version of similar correctional awareness programmes conducted in the past.
Prison DGP Soumya Mishra said,
“The initiative marks a new chapter in the state’s correctional reforms and will help the public better understand prison administration and inmate rehabilitation,”
Since its launch, the museum and the “Feel the Jail” experience have generated significant buzz on social media, with many users expressing curiosity about voluntarily spending a day living under prison-like conditions.
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