UP plans 13,888 prison berths to ease overcrowding; 6 new jails proposed

The six under-construction jails in Amethi, Mahoba, Hathras, Kushinagar, Jaunpur and Hapur will together provide 6,156 berths. Construction at Amethi is more than 98% complete and at Mahoba over 93% complete, while work is progressing on the remaining four projects, officials said.

Uttar Pradesh is set to add 13,888 prison berths as the state expands its jail infrastructure, with six district jails under construction and proposals submitted for six more to address overcrowding, according to senior officials of the UP prison administration and reforms services.

For representation only (Sourced)

The six under-construction jails in Amethi, Mahoba, Hathras, Kushinagar, Jaunpur and Hapur will together provide 6,156 berths. Construction at Amethi is more than 98% complete and at Mahoba over 93% complete, while work is progressing on the remaining four projects, officials said.

The department has separately submitted proposals for six new district jails in Kanpur Nagar, Auraiya, Shahjahanpur, Gyanpur-Bhadohi, Moradabad and Lalitpur. If approved and completed, these will add another 7,732 berths.

The expansion comes as the state’s prison capacity has increased from 58,400 inmates across 70 prisons in 2017 to 77,673 across 77 prisons in 2026, according to government data. The overcrowding ratio has fallen from 1.77 in 2017 to 1.03 this year.

Since 2017, seven prisons have opened in Chitrakoot, Ambedkar Nagar, Sant Kabir Nagar, Etawah, Prayagraj, Shravasti and Bareilly, adding 10,495 berths.

The government is also pursuing land purchase and registration for proposed prisons in Sambhal, Shamli, Ballia, Saharanpur, Amroha and Chandauli.