Nagpur: The Nagpur Metropolitan Region Development Authority (NMRDA) is preparing to transfer 60.16 hectares of land to the State Home Department (Prisons) for the construction of a new and modern Nagpur Central Jail complex on the city’s outskirts. The move marks the formal beginning of the long-pending plan to shift the century-old Nagpur Central Jail from Wardha Road near Rahate Colony Square.
According to official documents, the identified land spans Mouza Chicholi and Mouza Tandulwadi in Kamptee taluka. Of the total area, 57.12 hectares have been earmarked for the new jail infrastructure, while 3.04 hectares will be reserved for approach roads and ancillary facilities. The process is being carried out under the Disposal of Land Regulation, 2019, which permits land allotment for public-purpose projects with state government approval.
Gold Rate
04Oct 2025
The proposal, registered as Project Code VJ-001 (Jail), has already received vetting from the Divisional Commissioner’s office and the Urban Development Department. Once the Government of Maharashtra grants its final nod, NMRDA will officially hand over the land to the Prisons Department, which will then oversee construction.
The new facility is expected to resolve multiple issues plaguing the existing Wardha Road jail, including severe space constraints, ageing infrastructure, and rising inmate numbers. Spread across nearly 150 acres, the proposed complex will accommodate over 2,000 inmates and feature digital court connectivity, rehabilitation centres, staff quarters, and extensive green buffers for better security and sustainability.
Beyond addressing prison infrastructure needs, the relocation also unlocks major urban redevelopment potential. The prime Wardha Road plot, currently occupied by the old jail, is among the most valuable government-owned lands in central Nagpur. In 2023, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had suggested to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis that the land be transformed into a public marketplace and civic hub, incorporating food courts, gardens, parking zones, and bank offices.
The redevelopment plan also includes relocating Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns and other storage units to the city’s periphery to decongest central traffic zones. Officials describe the twin projects as a “balanced urban solution” — creating a modern correctional facility outside city limits while repurposing central land for public benefit.
Once implemented, the initiative will reshape the Wardha Road corridor, giving Nagpur both a state-of-the-art prison complex and a vibrant new civic space, in line with the city’s long-term development blueprint.
