The Delhi government has approved Rs 151.81 crore for a new regional forensic science laboratory in Shekh Sarai, with the Public Works Department expected to complete construction within two years. The facility is intended to reduce pressure on the existing laboratory in Rohini and speed up the examination of evidence in criminal cases.
The new forensic science laboratory will be built on a plot measuring approximately 6,300 square metres and will have a total built-up area of 18,300 square metres, according to the report. The project was approved during a meeting of the Expenditure Finance Committee chaired by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
The existing forensic science laboratory in Rohini receives around 2,000 cases every month, while more than 20,000 forensic reports are pending, the report said. Cybercrime-related cases account for the largest share of the backlog. The new facility is expected to expand Delhi’s capacity to examine physical and digital evidence.
The Shekh Sarai laboratory will primarily benefit the South, South-East and Central districts of Delhi. The government said the facility would support the Home Department and Delhi Police in meeting the requirements arising from the new criminal laws and provide scientific assistance for maintaining law and order in the capital.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the Rohini laboratory was under considerable pressure, which sometimes delayed investigations. She said the decision to establish a second facility was intended to improve the speed of forensic examinations. The project will be executed by the Public Works Department, with a two-year construction target set by the government.
Delhi Home Minister Ashish Sood said the new regional laboratory would make the examination of case-related evidence and submission of forensic reports faster and more efficient. He said the facility would strengthen evidence-based investigations and assist in the timely disposal of criminal cases in courts.
The project is aimed at reducing the backlog of pending reports, accelerating the examination of digital evidence in cybercrime cases and strengthening the preparation of criminal cases. However, the government’s announcement does not provide details on the laboratory’s proposed staffing, equipment specifications, operational capacity or the date on which services will begin. The immediate next step is construction by the Public Works Department, which has been given two years to complete the facility.
