Central Jail Shifting Process In Shackles For Want Of More Land

Nagpur: The proposed relocation of the 160-year-old British-era Nagpur Central Jail from its prime Wardha Road location has hit another roadblock, with land constraints threatening to delay the ambitious 2,400 crore project. While a 150 acre land parcel in Chincholi village of Kamptee Taluka was reserved for the new facility, prison authorities are now seeking an additional 50 to 100 acres — a demand the Nagpur Metropolitan Region Development Authority (NMRDA) says cannot be met at the site.
The land, currently under NMRDA, was already earmarked for the new high-security prison, which is being planned to replace the overcrowded and ageing jail structure that stood for over 160 years. However, differences over the total land requirement slowed progress.The project was handed over to the Maharashtra State Infrastructure Development Corporation (MSIDC), which is coordinating with multiple agencies to move the proposal forward. According to MSIDC sources, the plan remains at a preliminary stage, with deliberations underway on the final land requirement. "Currently, there is no need for private land acquisition for the project. We reserved around 150 acres of land in Chincholi village in Kamptee Tehsil for the new prison project, and the land belongs to NMRDA. However, the prison authorities claimed that the project would need around 200 to 250 acres of land, which is being mulled over. There is land beside the reserved 150 acres, but a decision is yet to be taken about it," said sources. The relocation plan was under discussion since 2020, amid growing concerns over congestion and security at the existing jail. The current Nagpur Central Jail has a sanctioned capacity of about 1,940 inmates but frequently operates beyond capacity. Over the years, incidents of inmate clashes, attacks on prison staff, and smuggling of contraband, including ganja, were reported — reinforcing the need for a larger, modern correctional facility outside city limits. The proposed new prison is expected to accommodate nearly 4,000 inmates, almost double the present capacity. Officials, however, cautioned that the project's final scope will depend on the land ultimately allocated. "However, the proposal is still at a preliminary stage and the scope may be revised, as it will all depend on the approved land needed for the project," an official said. A senior NMRDA official clarified that the land identified for the project originally belonged to the state govt, but a govt resolution last year transferred all state govt lands under development authority jurisdiction to NMRDA. "Because of this, the land was transferred to NMRDA, but it was already selected for the new jail project. Now we are awaiting GR from the Home Department to transfer the land to the respective agency (MSIDC). The reservation for the 150 acres is done. There is no more land at the location, as a 50 acres parcel is locked in for the Forensic Lab project. However, everything will depend upon what the Home Department decides," the NMRDA official said.