The prison complex coming up in Narela is set to be completed by November 4, 2027, officials familiar with the project said. Designed as a modern correctional facility built as per international standards, the complex will house high-risk prisoners in individual cells, significantly enhancing security and reducing threat levels, they added.
Event Context
Union Home Minister Amit Shah laid the foundation stone for the project earlier this month. Once operational, the facility at Tikri Khurd will accommodate 250-300 inmates in individual cells equipped with round-the-clock surveillance, safety features and controlled movement protocols.
Besides residential blocks, the complex will feature a control room and dispensary (2,317 square metres), an administration block (3,873 square metres), and a langar-cum-mess (1,780 square metres) to cater to inmates and staff. The security infrastructure has been designed for 24×7 monitoring and strict access control, with eight watchtowers spread over 900 square metres, along with an electrical substation, guard room and underground sump pump house.
Construction-related infrastructure, including a Ready Mix Concrete (RMC) plant and a reverse osmosis (RO) water treatment plant, has already been set up at the site to ensure uninterrupted execution, officials added.
Match Outlook
Spread across 40 acres, the prison will be developed in two phases, officials said. The first phase, covering 18 acres, will focus on core prison infrastructure, while the remaining 22 acres will be utilised for future expansion as per evolving requirements.
The first phase will have a total built-up area of nearly 19,971 square metres. As per officials, the inmate housing blocks will be the largest component, with prison wards spread across four ground-plus-one-storey blocks covering a plinth area of 10,598 square metres.
After operational, the Narela prison is expected to ease the burden on Delhi’s existing correctional facilities in Tihar, Mandoli and Rohini jails by providing a dedicated, modern facility with advanced administrative, medical, residential and surveillance infrastructure.
The Centre has approved a ₹100 crore fund for the project, officials said, adding that if the total cost exceeds that amount, the Delhi government will bear the additional expenditure. Of the sanctioned ₹100 crore, the central government had already released ₹10 crore on February 1, 2024.
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According to the prison plan, there will be segregated functional zones for administration, inmate accommodation, security and support services. A substantial vacant area has been reserved for the second phase to allow for future expansion.
