Home minister R.R. Patil on Wednesday announced in the state legislative council that a new jail would be constructed in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, as the existing jails in the region are overcrowded. The state will also undertake measures to expand the capacity of these existing jails, he said.
Shiv Sena MLC Ramdas Kadam had moved a calling attention motion to raise the issue of overcrowded jails. Mr Patil admitted that five jails in the state — Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan, Aurangabad and Ahmednagar — have more inmates than their capacity.
“A new jail has been constructed at Taloja so that inmates from overcrowded jails can be transferred there. But as per our estimates, Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai need another jail to accommodate all inmates. A decision on where to build this new jail will be taken soon,” the home minister said.
In total, there are 43 jails in Maharashtra, including nine central jails that can accommodate around 22,000 inmates; currently 23,800 inmates are lodged in these. Mr Patil said, “It isn’t a major problem at the state level. But five jails are overcrowded.”
NCP MLC Hemant Takle said the jail manual had been prepared in the British era and some of its provisions need to be amended, citing as an example the practice of serving the evening meal to inmates at 5 pm so that they could go back to their barracks before sunset. “Earlier, as the jails did not have electricity, the inmates were given dinner at 5 pm. But now that needs to be changed,” he said.
Replying to Mr Takle’s suggestion, Mr Pati said the state had already started a pilot project in Amravati jail with regard to this timing, and if it succeeded, it will be implemented in other jails too. “Inmates who have completed the majority of their jail term and have good conduct will be provided food later in the evening,” he said.
Jail Capacity Inmates
Mumbai 804 1,825
Thane 1,105 2,327
Kalyan 540 727
Aurangabad 579 997
Ahmednagar 48 198