ABBOTTABAD, Oct 5: The repair work on the Abbottabad jail building, which was damaged by the earthquake of Oct 8, 2005, has not been started despite allocation of Rs80 million for its reconstruction.

Official sources said all formalities for issuing a contract for the work had been completed.

Constructed in 1893, the jail has a capacity to accommodate around 200 prisoners. But, at present there are 390 prisoners in different categories of the jail, including the death cell.

The earthquake had damaged almost all barracks, death cell and walls of the building. Residential buildings of jail superintendent, assistant superintendent and wardens were also damaged.

Sources said the NWFP government was considering shifting the jail to a new building and it had formed a committee to finalise a proposal in this regard. However, no decision had been taken in this regard, they added. Sources said constructing a new building could take four to five years.

They said prisoners and staff members had been facing hardships in the damaged building.