Nagpur: In a major infrastructure decision, the Maharashtra government has approved the relocation of the Nagpur Central Jail to Chincholi village, over 20 km from its current site. The move aims to facilitate large-scale redevelopment and beautification projects within the city.
The new location will span 180 acres, significantly expanding the facility in line with modern norms issued by the Centre. The jail relocation aligns with the government’s broader vision to address rising inmate populations, overcrowding, and improve infrastructure while freeing up valuable urban land for civic enhancement.
The decision, backed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, has initiated the home department’s process of acquiring and preparing the new site. According to Mantralaya sources, Revenue Minister and Nagpur’s Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has been instrumental in proposing the new plot for the jail’s relocation.
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Officials stated that the existing jail’s location presents multiple development challenges. “Due to security norms, no construction is permitted within 150 meters of the jail’s perimeter and an additional 20-meter buffer is mandatory. This has stalled multiple urban development initiatives. Relocating the jail will unlock the surrounding area for planned beautification and infrastructure upgrades,” said a senior home department officer.
Nagpur Central Jail is one of the nine central prisons in Maharashtra, part of a network of 60 jails that currently houses over 40,300 inmates — well beyond their collective capacity of 27,000. The new jail in Chincholi will help relieve this burden and be equipped with upgraded facilities.
Thane Central Jail is also part of the state’s relocation plan. It is being moved to a 50-acre plot in Pise village, Bhiwandi, while the existing 290-year-old structure will be preserved as a heritage site and developed into a museum by the Thane Municipal Corporation.
Radhika Rastogi, Additional Chief Secretary (Prisons), confirmed the developments: “The proposals for relocating both Thane and Nagpur jails are being positively considered and are expected to be approved shortly. In Thane, the local body has proposed a museum without altering the heritage structure.”
The relocation process, including formal land transfers and initial groundwork, is expected to take at least a year before construction begins.
