New Narela Prison Complex Scheduled to Open by November 2027
A new 40-acre prison complex featuring a dedicated high-security facility is scheduled to open in Narela by November 2027 as authorities work to reduce severe overcrowding across Delhi's correctional facilities, including Rohini, Tihar, and Mandoli.
The upcoming complex will accommodate 1,256 inmates, comprising 256 beds in a high-security prison and 1,000 beds across two general prisons. The facility is planned to house high-risk prisoners relocated from the existing complexes in Rohini, Tihar, and Mandoli.
In 2025, Delhi's three operational prison complexes held over 20,000 inmates against a combined sanctioned capacity of 10,026. Undertrials accounted for approximately 88 percent of the total inmate population, while 60 percent were between the ages of 18 and 30. Theft, attempt to murder, robbery, and rape were recorded as the most common offences.
Prison officials noted that several individual jails have been operating at four to five times their intended capacity, with judicial delays leading to some undertrials remaining detained for five to 10 years even for minor offences.
The Narela high-security project has received ₹148.58 crore in funding, with approximately 10 percent of construction completed so far. The facility will incorporate panopticon-style architecture, high perimeter walls, and multi-layered security infrastructure. The prison department is also testing targeted mobile-jamming systems to eliminate unauthorised mobile phone use and minimize prisoner movement outside the premises.
Alongside the infrastructure expansion, the department faces staffing shortages. In 2024, the department recorded 2,500 personnel against 3,200 sanctioned posts. An intake of 1,676 personnel, including warders, is expected to take place to staff facilities.
Authorities have also continued vocational and rehabilitation efforts across existing jails. In April, the Tihar carpentry and fabrication unit supplied 10,000 dual desks to Delhi government schools and 26,000 desks to Municipal Corporation of Delhi schools, while inmates were trained in appliance repairs.
