Bakery products by Vizag central prison inmates attracts gourmands, sells like hot cakes

VISAKHAPATNAM: While the term “prison” or “jail” typically evokes a sense of confinement, even fear in one’s mind, the unique offerings of freshly baked delicacies make it hard for food enthusiasts to avoid the Stall (Sudhar Mart) in front of the Central Prison located at Adavivaram in Vizag city, where assortment of foods baked and sold by prison inmates, is drawing many a gourmand.The authorities of the prison had set up Sudhar Mart in front of the prison to sell the products made by prison inmates. The prisoners are engaged in various trades based on their skill and behaviour, with efforts to provide some financial support to motivate them further.It literally sells like hot cakes. Bakery items made by the inmates of Visakhapatnam Central Prison are in great demand with the Stall near the prison premises buzzing with customers in the afternoons. A few prison inmates were trained in baking as part of a rehabilitation and skill development programme for prisoners. The inmates are preparing products such as breads, simple cakes, cream buns, and a few varieties, including millet biscuits.Baking was one of the many skills we taught the inmates, along with other skills such as farming, bookbinding, printing, manufacture of steel-furniture and a few others. Currently six inmates are preparing bakery products in the prison.

The prison is earning revenue of at least Rs1.2 lakh every month from the bakery unit, said Superintendent of Visakhapatnam Central Prison, M Mahesh Babu. The bakery products are delectable because prisoners don’t use chemicals or artificial ingredients to prepare them.

Among all the bakery products of the inmates, the demand for cream buns is more, he added. This (stall in front of prison) is the only place where I consume cream buns and I purchase bread and cream buns for my family as the bakery products by the inmates are very delicious and they don’t use preservatives, said a customer Harish.

My house is at Simhachalam, while my workplace is at Peda Waltair and I used to visit the stall at least three days a week. Also, the price of the bakery products at the stall is little less and the quality is excellent when compared with other bakeries, he added.

Not only staff from police and prison departments, but also passers-by wait for the bakery products every day. Some people purchase ten to twenty cream buns and cakes citing delicious.

The products reach the stall around 3 pm and it takes a few hours to empty the stock, said one of the inmates, who attends to customers at the stall."With the growing demand for the bakery products, we have been chalking out plans to tie-up with some institutions to supply the products in the coming days," said Superintendent Mahesh Babu. From farming to bakery products, steel furniture, and few others, the prisoners are imparting skills in the prison. The bright side of this is that prisoners can look after their own once they are released, he added.

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