Prior to 1958, a small Jail was located at Delhi Gate area of Delhi. In 1958, the prison was transferred from Delhi Gate to a site on the land of Tihar Village in western part of New Delhi. In the beginning, only one Central Jail was commissioned with the lodging capacity of 1273 prisoners. Till 1966, the administrative control of Delhi Jails was with the Government of the state of Punjab. The same was transferred to the Delhi Administration, Delhi in 1966. There was applicability of Punjab Jail Manual on Delhi Jails upto April 1988 when Delhi Jail Manual was drafted and came into force.
There was no full fledged post of Inspector General of Delhi Prisons till March 1986 and this work was being additionally shouldered by the Dy. Commissioner, Delhi. In 1986, the full fledged post of Inspector General was created and was headed by a senior IPS officer. As the prison population grew to a large number leads to establishment of many new jails and correctional personnel. To lead the department the requirement of new post arised and subsequently post of Additional Director General and Director General was created to head the prison department.
1. EVOLUTION OF DELHI PRISONS
1958
Central Jail commissioned at Tihar with a sanctioned capacity of 1273 prisoners
1980
District Jail constructed with a sanctioned capacity to lodge 740 prisoners
1984-85
The existing Central Jail was trifurcated during this period as Central Jail No. 1,2, & 3 having sanctioned capacity for each jail as 565, 455 & 740 prisoners respectivetly.
1990
District Jail was elevated to Central Jail and designated as Central Jail No.4
1996
Central Jail No.5 commissioned with a sanctioned capacity of 750 prisoners for keeping adolescents inmates (between the age group of 18 of 21 years)
2000
Central Jail No.6 commissioned for exclusively lodging 400 female prisoners
2003
Central Jail No.7 commissioned for lodging 350 prisoners
2004
District Jail, Rohini commissioned for lodging 1050 prisoners
2005
Central Jail No.8&9 commissioned for lodging 600 prisoners each.
2008
Construction of Mandoli Jail Complex for lodging approx. 3500 prisoners begin in May, 2008 and the stipulated date of completion is November 2011. Around 60% work has been accomplished.
The salient features of the new jail complex at Mandoli will be :-
The complex will house 6 Jails one for convicts, one for first time offenders, one each for long term undertrials, adolescent, women and High Security prisoners.
Air Circulation System in all wards.
No electrical fixtures inside the wards.
Inbuilt mechanism for CCTV, Optical Fiber Cable Network.
Dual water supply system, Solar Heating System, R.O. System, Sewage Treatment Plant, Rain Water Harvesting.
Energy conscious buildings.
Provision of separate prison for High Security prisoners and First Time Offenders to ensure total segregation.
There is also a proposal to construct jails at Narela and Baprola area in Delhi to decongest the existing prisons. The land acquisition process is under the way for construction of jail at Narela.
Local Services 