After 173% Occupancy, Maharashtra Govt Plans Major Prison Expansion
Mumbai: Days after concerns over Maharashtra’s severe prison overcrowding came to the fore, the Home Department has clarified that a series of measures are being undertaken to increase prison capacity and improve conditions for inmates. As reported by the Free Press Journal on July 16, Maharashtra’s prisons were operating at nearly 173% of their sanctioned capacity, with major facilities…
Mumbai prisons are operating at an alarming 173% of their sanctioned capacity, prompting the Maharashtra government to announce plans for a major prison expansion. Arthur Road Central Jail alone houses around 3,410 inmates, far exceeding its sanctioned capacity of 999. The government has acquired 11 acres of land in Mankhurd, Kurla taluka, to construct a new prison capable of accommodating a significantly larger number of inmates.
Construction will involve demolishing the existing prison and building modern multi-storey buildings to boost capacity. The government also plans to develop a facility in Daravali, Borivali taluka, with a proposed capacity of 1,000 inmates, along with a staff training center and residential quarters. In addition to expanding capacity, the government is actively working to reduce the inmate population through legal measures such as releasing eligible prisoners on remission and providing assistance to poor inmates who cannot afford bail.
Health and hygiene standards are being closely monitored to ensure that overcrowding does not compromise the well-being of inmates.
Written by urgent.news from Free Press Journal's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
