Overview

• Maharashtra’s 60 prisons housed 39,527 inmates in May 2025 against an official capacity of 27,184, exceeding limits by 12,343.
• Mumbai Central Jail, designed for 999 prisoners, held 3,268 inmates as of May, demonstrating acute facility stress.
• The state has initiated land acquisition and new jail and barrack construction to add 17,110 beds and ease overcrowding.
• Of the inmate population, 6,003 prisoners are illiterate and 5,067 are undertrial, prompting partnerships with NGOs to deliver education and vocational training alongside legal assistance.
• Authorities have implemented videoconferencing, smart-card telephones, e-kiosks and financial assistance schemes for economically weak inmates.