Maharashtra: Palghar to house state’s new jail

Most of the jails in the city and state such as the Arthur Road Jail are overcrowded. File pic/Pradeep Dhivar

The Maharashtra Prisons Department has zeroed in on Umroli in Palghar district, as the site for the new jail that will be built to reduce crowding in jails in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai. The jail will be built to accommodate 600 inmates.

According to sources, there are 9 central, 31 district, 19 open, and 172 secondary jails in the state. At present, the prisons in the state have more inmates than their capacity. The prison capacity of jails in the state is 23,217 and prisoners living there are more than 40,946.

Jails in Mumbai, Thane, and Navi Mumbai have three times more prisoners than their capacity. It is due to this that the Prisons Department officers decided to build a new jail.

Initially, there were plans and discussions to build a new jail in Mahul, but Palghar district was thought to be the right choice because of the new police commissionerate, Mira-Bhayander-Vasai-Virar.

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"A meeting of Prisons Department officers was held recently and the construction of a new jail in Umroli, Palghar district was discussed, and approval for the same was given by the administration," said a senior officer of the Prisons Department.

"A proposal to build this jail to house 600 prisoners has been sent and funds for the construction are awaited," the officer added.

23,217
No. of prisoners jails in the state can house

40,946
No. of prisoners that stay there