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The Delhi government has launched a survey across 48 recently declared urban villages to identify land for expanding and relocating the capital's prison infrastructure. Five committees have been formed to assess suitable land parcels for new jail facilities and a prison training institute. The exercise aims to address severe overcrowding in Delhi's prisons, where nearly 19,500 inmates are housed against a sanctioned capacity of 10,026, while supporting long-term public infrastructure planning.
The Delhi government has initiated a survey of 48 recently declared urban villages to identify land for the relocation and expansion of the capital's prison infrastructure. The exercise, launched in the past week, seeks to ease overcrowding in Delhi's existing prisons while creating space for future correctional facilities and a dedicated prison training institute.
According to officials, the office of the Director General (Prisons) has constituted five committees, each comprising four members, to carry out the land survey. The committees have been tasked with identifying suitable land parcels for new prison infrastructure, verifying ownership and land records with relevant agencies, and submitting detailed recommendations within a stipulated timeframe. The survey follows the recent urbanisation of 48 villages in Delhi, making additional land available for non-agricultural development.
The proposal comes amid mounting pressure on Delhi's correctional facilities. The capital's three prison complexes—Tihar, Rohini and Mandoli—currently comprise 14 prisons accommodating around 19,500 inmates, nearly double their sanctioned capacity of 10,026. According to the National Crime Records Bureau's Prison Statistics India 2024 report, Delhi recorded the country's highest prison occupancy rate at 194.6% as of December 31, 2024. The city also has one of the largest undertrial prisoner populations in the country.
Tihar remains one of the world's largest prison complexes, while Rohini Central Jail was developed in 2004 as an extension of Tihar. Mandoli prison complex in northeast Delhi became operational in 2016 with six prisons and a capacity of 3,776 inmates. Despite these additions, prison authorities have consistently highlighted shortages of space and pressure on civic services, healthcare facilities, rehabilitation programmes, water supply and sanitation infrastructure.
Officials said the survey forms part of the government's broader strategy to develop additional prison infrastructure outside the existing facilities. Earlier, the Delhi Prisons Department had sought around 400 acres of land from the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for a new prison complex after the government announced plans to shift Tihar Jail from its present location. The latest survey is expected to identify suitable sites that can support this long-term expansion.
The exercise has also become feasible following the urbanisation of the remaining 48 villages in Delhi. Once designated as urban villages, these areas cease to be governed by agricultural land-use restrictions under the Delhi Land Reforms Act, allowing land to be considered for public infrastructure and other development projects. The land also comes under the jurisdiction of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act and the Delhi Development Authority Act, creating a new planning framework for future civic infrastructure.
The committees will complete field inspections, coordinate with concerned departments and submit their findings to the government. Their recommendations will determine the locations for future prison infrastructure intended to reduce overcrowding and improve the operational capacity of Delhi's correctional system.
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