Mumbai Central Jail
 | |
| Location | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 18°59′6.7″N 72°49′47.14″E / 18.985194°N 72.8297611°E |
| Status | Open |
| Security class | Maximum |
| Capacity | 1074 |
| Opened | 1926 |
The Mumbai Central Prison, also referred to as Arthur Road Jail, was built in 1926,[1] and is Mumbai's largest and oldest prison. It houses most of the city's prisoners. It was upgraded in 1994 to become a Central Prison and given its current official name, but it is still popularly referred to as Arthur Road Jail. The jail occupies 2 acres (0.81 ha) of land.[1]
Location
The jail is located near Jacob Circle/Sat Rasta, between the Mahalaxmi and Chinchpokli railway stations in the southern part of the city. It is now surrounded by residential property renting for Rs 12-25,000/sq foot, while commercial property is leased for Rs 30-60,000/sq foot.[1] A monorail is being built nearby.
Conditions
Space is at a premium inside. The jail was originally built to accommodate 800 prisoners but the average number of inmates is 2000[1]—far exceeding its capacity in terms of space, sanitation and other facilities.
Popular culture
The prison features in Gregory David Roberts' award-winning book Shantaram, which details his life on the run and his time spent in Mumbai, including a stint in Arthur Road. Several scenes in Katherine Boo's Behind the Beautiful Forevers take place in the facility.
See also
References
- ^ a b c d Mustafa Plumber & Manish K Pathak (19 April 2011). "Time to free Mumbai of its overcrowded prison?". DNA India. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
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