by Our Correspondent in Colombo
For decades, Sri Lanka’s prison system has struggled with overcrowding, ageing infrastructure and operational pressures that have challenged successive administrations. A major attempt to address those structural problems emerged during the previous government through a Five-Year Action Plan covering 2021 to 2025, which sought to transform the country’s correctional system from a largely punitive model into a rights-based institution built around rehabilitation, modernization and international standards.
The initiative was launched during the presidency of Gotabaya Rajapaksa, whose administration introduced the Five-Year Action Plan as part of a broader effort to restructure Sri Lanka’s correctional system. The programme was developed during a period when the country was emerging from the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, with government officials, planners and technical teams working under intense conditions to maintain essential services and advance national recovery efforts. Against that backdrop, the prison reform agenda sought to move beyond decades-old infrastructure and establish a modern correctional framework focused on rehabilitation, improved institutional capacity and alignment with international standards.
That reform agenda placed the relocation and redevelopment of major prison facilities at the centre of its strategy. The proposed relocation of the Welikada Prison complex from its long-standing urban location in Borella to a purpose-built facility at Millewa, Horana, represented the largest component of that vision. The project was designed not merely as a prison expansion exercise but as a broader restructuring of the correctional system, combining new infrastructure with rehabilitation facilities, professional development for prison staff and the regeneration of valuable urban land.
However, following a deadly outbreak of violence at Negombo Prison that resulted in 28 deaths and more than 100 injuries, the government’s approach has shifted towards immediate interventions. Instead of advancing the planned centralized prison complex, authorities have turned to existing buildings and historical facilities to create additional correctional capacity.
The change in direction has raised questions over the future of the long-term prison modernization programme and whether the original reform framework will continue or be replaced by short-term measures designed to manage an escalating crisis.
The 2021-2025 Five-Year Action Plan was developed in response to persistent challenges within the prison system, particularly overcrowding. At the time, prisons were operating at around 173 percent capacity, creating severe pressure on infrastructure, inmates and prison officers. The plan identified overcrowding as a central issue contributing to instability within correctional institutions.
A key proposal was the relocation of urban prisons, including Welikada and Magazine prisons, to a new 200-acre complex in Millewa, Horana. The proposed facility was intended to comply with international standards, including principles outlined in the Nelson Mandela Rules, which establish minimum standards for the treatment of prisoners.
The Environmental Impact Assessment report for the proposed Prison Relocation Project provides further details on the scale of the planned development. The project involved a 256-acre site in Millewa and aimed to replace the colonial-era Welikada complex with a modern therapeutic environment while allowing the existing Borella location to be used for urban regeneration.
The Horana site was selected because of its accessibility through the expressway network, suitable terrain for a modern correctional facility and its proximity to industrial areas that could support vocational training opportunities for inmates. The proposed complex was planned to include Magazine, Female, Remand and Welikada prisons, along with a hospital, training centres and staff quarters.
The project also incorporated facilities intended to address long-standing rehabilitation needs. Among them was a 2,000-bed rehabilitation centre for drug addicts, reflecting the significant role of drug-related offences in the prison population. Nearly 21,000 inmates are currently linked to drug-related cases, placing additional pressure on remand and correctional facilities.
Environmental planning formed a major component of the Horana proposal. According to the EIA report, the site contained diverse ecological features, including 227 plant species and 291 faunal species, with several endemic species recorded. The Mawak Oya and local springs within the area were identified as important habitats for threatened aquatic species, including native fish varieties.
The project design included measures to address these environmental concerns. A wastewater treatment plant with a capacity of approximately 2,000 cubic metres per day using anaerobic, anoxic and oxic technology was proposed to treat effluent before discharge into the Mawak Oya. Solid waste management plans included composting of biodegradable waste and the use of approved contractors for non-biodegradable and clinical waste.
The relocation project also carried social implications. The EIA identified the need to relocate 57 households, including six families living within the project footprint and 51 families located within a designated resettlement area in Millewa Watta. A Compulsory Resettlement Scheme prepared by the Urban Development Authority included new housing, statutory payments and compensation arrangements for affected estate workers.
Local stakeholders raised concerns mainly around employment opportunities, access to information and the protection of resources such as the Mawak Oya. The report recorded that community representatives did not oppose the project but sought assurances regarding local impacts and benefits.
Despite these plans, the Horana project has remained stalled, even though the original timeline had targeted completion by 2024. The government’s response following the Negombo incident has instead focused on rapidly increasing prison capacity through existing infrastructure.
The Ministry of Justice has issued gazette notifications under the powers provided by the Prisons Ordinance to designate the historic Bogambara Prison in Kandy and the former Mahamodara Maternity Hospital in Galle as correctional facilities. These measures are aimed at addressing immediate shortages within a system currently holding approximately 39,000 inmates, far beyond its intended capacity.
The revival of Bogambara Prison represents a significant departure from the earlier strategy of moving major correctional facilities away from densely populated urban areas. The Kandy facility, which operated for 138 years before closing in 2014, was previously identified for redevelopment linked to cultural tourism and public use.
Reintroducing a high-security correctional facility in the centre of Kandy marks a return to an older model of prison management, where urban locations housed major institutions. The earlier relocation strategy had sought to separate prison operations from congested city environments while creating purpose-built facilities designed around rehabilitation and security.
The difference between the two approaches is also reflected in legislative and administrative measures now being considered. While the Five-Year Action Plan proposed a comprehensive restructuring of the prison service, including staff professionalization and digital integration, current measures are focused on reducing immediate pressure on overcrowded facilities.
One proposed legal change involves amending the Poisons, Opium, and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance to allow bail eligibility to be determined based on gross weight rather than net weight. The objective is to reduce delays associated with Government Analyst reports and ease the number of drug-related remand cases. A committee is also examining the possibility of introducing house arrest for minor offenders, an option that had previously been considered within the broader reform framework.
The rapid expansion of facilities through repurposed buildings has created operational challenges. Authorities must address staff shortages, security requirements and infrastructure limitations as new locations are converted into correctional centres. The former Mahamodara maternity facility, for example, requires adaptation from its original public health purpose into a secure prison environment.
The shift from a large-scale, purpose-built complex in Millewa to multiple smaller facilities in existing urban locations reflects the immediate pressures facing the prison administration. While emergency measures are being implemented to prevent further instability, the original objectives of creating a modern, centralized correctional system remain largely unrealized.
