India, Aug. 2 -- The Delhi government will approach the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to allocate an additional 27 acres of land in Narela for a new prison adjacent to the upcoming high-security jail, as part of a broader plan to decongest the overcrowded Tihar Jail complex, officials said on Saturday.

The proposal aims to expand the Capital's prison infrastructure to address the mounting inmate population. Delhi's three prison complexes - Tihar, Rohini, and Mandoli - together house 16 central jails with a sanctioned capacity of 10,026 inmates. However, they currently accommodate around 19,500 prisoners, reflecting severe overcrowding, officials said.

Tihar, which houses nine central prisons, is among the largest prison complexes in...