Opened as a part of ‘prison reforms’, the first ever Book Café in the country being run by jail inmates in Shimla is facing rough weather within three months after it took off with a bang.

An attraction for locals and tourists alike, the café opened by Prisons and Correctional Services department just above the historic Ridge is hassled by local civic body’s letter staking claim over 80 per cent of its monthly profits.

The civic body has cited the financial gains that it has forgone by not going in for auction of the prime place on which the café is located.

The Prisons department has, however, written back to the MC authorities to waive off the claim as the café is being run for welfare of jail inmates.

“We did not open this café to earn money. It was a novel attempt to boost reforms and rehabilitation of prisoners. I have written to the Shimla Municipal Corporation authorities for a waiver in the social interest. Let’s see,” recently appointed Director General of Police, Somesh Goel (who continues to be DGP, Prisons) told The Statesman.

Goel, the brain behind Book Café, said the monthly profits from café were between Rs 15,000 to Rs 18,000.

Apart from general welfare, a part of it accrues in the wages of prisoners associated with the employment activity.

The café came up as a joint initiative of the Shimla Municipal Corporation, Tourism department and the Directorate of Prisons and Correctional Services.

Manned by four life convicts from Kaithu jail at a time, the Book Café became a popular joint in the city as it offers peaceful environs, books, coffee and bakery products like biscuits, cookies, cakes, burgers and patties at reasonable rates.

Unique in its own way, the products sold at the Café are made by jail inmates in bakery at Kaithu jail and are sold at lesser price than market price.

The four convicts picked up to run the Book Café were trained and groomed for hospitality skills at a leading hotel here,.

Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) Joint Commissioner, Prashant Sirkek, when contacted, said the civic body’s move to ask for sharing profits of the café was based on the decision of the previous House (before polls in June).

“Going by social mandate, the MC did provide prime property to Prisons department to run Book Café without auction and without any rent. We gave it to them free of cost for three months on trial basis. Now that they want to run it further, we will have to keep in view the maintenance cost. For that the profits need to be shared,” he told The Statesman.