Assam: Asia's Largest, World's Second Largest Detention Camp in Goalpara Well Underway

GOALPARA, ASSAM:

The establishment of Asia's largest and the world's second largest detention camp, which has been heavily covered in the national media, is well underway.

Under the supervision of the Assam Police Housing Department, development is underway on 25 acres of land on the banks of the Dudhnoi River in Matia, Goalpara district, at a cost of Rs 64 crore.

According to reports, those who are recognised as foreigners will be held at the detention centre. This detention facility is designed for both males and women. At total, 17 structures are being built in the camp, two of which will be reserved for women. 

According to sources, the detention camp's construction is around 80% complete. This massive camp will have a primary school, library, hospital, recreational activities, dining hall, kitchen, and so on. 

The camp will house three thousand people, with each structure housing two thousand people and equipped with restrooms and other facilities. Furthermore, 120 separate bathrooms and toilets have already been built. 

This massive detention complex has been under construction since 2018. People have been debating whether the newly constructed detention centre would house foreigners or whether the jail in Goalpara will be relocated here. 

The detention centre is located in a rural region of Goalpara, with open terrain on three sides and a road in front connecting it to the major city of Guwahati. The route to the detention centre runs through what is known as the "ghost" mountain on one side. According to locals, ghosts used to control the mountain years ago, and no human was permitted to traverse it. 

While the government has yet to declare a countrywide NRC, a number of detention facilities are being built around the country.

At least six detention centres are already functioning in Assam, which has been seeing a movement against primarily Bangla-speaking migrants for more than four decades.

Since 2008, there have been over 100 fatalities in these facilities, including suicides by detainees.

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