Maharashtra plans to relocate historic Thane Central Jail to Bhiwandi
The state Home Department has asked officials to prepare a proposal for a new 5,000-inmate prison facility.
The Maharashtra Home Department has requested the Maharashtra State Infrastructure Development Corporation (MSIDC) to draft a proposal for a new prison in Bhiwandi, according to The Indian Express. The proposed facility is intended to house 5,000 inmates on a 50-acre site located across Pise, Amane and Vashere in Bhiwandi taluka, approximately 30 km from the current location.
The Thane Central Jail, which sits on a site formerly under Portuguese rule, currently holds more than 3,500 inmates despite an authorised capacity of 1,111. The state department has directed the MSIDC to begin site inspections and develop construction plans, maps, and budget projections for the Prison Department to seek administrative approval.
The relocation follows an in-principle approval granted by the state Cabinet in 2025 to move both the Thane and Nagpur central jails. Officials noted that the transition could take up to a decade, as the new facility must be constructed and cleared under the prison manual.
Concerns have been raised regarding the distance of the Bhiwandi site from hospitals and courts. While inmates currently use Chhatrapati Shivaji Hospital in Kalwa, specialised cases are sent to J J Hospital, which is roughly 60 km from the proposed site. Officials have suggested using video-conferencing for undertrials to manage court access.
BJP MLA Sanjay Kelkar has questioned the move in the Assembly, asking if real estate potential is driving the decision. Meanwhile, the Thane Municipal Corporation, which sought the relocation in 2018, has proposed turning the old 43-acre site into a heritage and tourist precinct, potentially including a museum.