Delhi Chief Minister Rekha New Delhi Gupta on Thursday announced plans to establish a modern, integrated rehabilitation complex with state-of-the-art facilities for children in conflict with the law. The proposed facility, designed to accommodate around 700 children, will prioritise reform and social reintegration, focusing on bringing children back into the mainstream rather than treating them as offenders.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by the Chief Minister with members of the Juvenile Justice Committee, attended by senior officials from the Department of Women and Child Development. The discussion centred on the legal, social and humanitarian issues faced by children in conflict with the law and concluded with a consensus on the need for a comprehensive, safe, and modern rehabilitation framework in Delhi.
The Chief Minister noted that several homes for such children currently exist across the city, many of them decades old and inadequate for present needs. To address these limitations, the government plans to construct a state-of-the-art integrated complex on nearly eight acres of land in Alipur.
The facility will house children whose cases are pending before the Juvenile Justice Board under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, as well as those who have completed legal proceedings. It will offer education, sports, yoga, mental health counselling, behavioural correction programmes, and skill development training to help children rebuild their lives.
Emphasising the reformative nature of the project, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the complex would serve as a secure care and rehabilitation centre, not a punitive institution. Developed in accordance with the spirit of the Juvenile Justice Act, it will focus on care, protection and social reintegration rather than isolation or punishment and is expected to serve as a model for other states.
She added that children residing in the complex will follow age- and need-appropriate daily routines and participate in sports and creative activities designed to boost self-confidence and prepare them for the future. The government aims to create an environment where children can learn, grow and reform without fear or stigma.
Reiterating the government’s philosophy, the Chief Minister said children in conflict with the law should be seen as individuals in need of care and guidance, not as criminals, and affirmed Delhi Government’s commitment to developing the integrated rehabilitation complex with this approach.