Delhi to Strengthen Forensics and Prison Infra

New Delhi: Forensics is set to get a major boost. Delhi govt has proposed the construction of a forensics building in south Delhi’s Sheikh Sarai.“Our govt last year approved six forensic vans. This year, construction has been approved for the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory in Sheikh Sarai, with an allocation of Rs 2 crore,” chief minister Rekha Gupta said.An official of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) said the building will provide a significant boost to forensic investigations across the city. The additional facility is expected to help reduce pendency of cases, allowing investigations to be completed in a timely manner.With the establishment of a regional laboratory, the issue of distance will be addressed. Earlier, police personnel from south Delhi had to travel to Rohini to access FSL services, which caused delays and logistical challenges. With the new facility, such travel will no longer be necessary.The chief minister said that to reduce overcrowding in prisons, they will, with the assistance of Govt of India, begin the construction of a high-security jail in Narela.Delhi has three prison complexes: Tihar, Mandoli and Rohini. The central jail at Tihar was commissioned in 1958 with a sanctioned capacity of 1,273 inmates.Today, Tihar, one of India’s largest prison complexes with nine jails, houses around 13,000 inmates — well over its intended capacity of 5,200. The situation is similarly critical in other prisons. Mandoli Jail, which has a capacity of 3,776, currently accommodates more than 3,900 inmates, while Rohini , designed for 1,050 prisoners, now has over 2,000.