18 May,2026 09:33 AM IST | Mumbai | Aishwarya Iyer
Detention centre for illegal foreign nationals in Dadar. Pic/Ashish Raje
Less than two months after Maharashtra operationalised its first detention centre for illegal foreign nationals in Dadar's Bhoiwada area, the facility is already facing a space crunch as crackdowns on undocumented immigrants intensify across Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The police say the centre, meant to temporarily house foreign nationals awaiting deportation, is nearing capacity amid a steady rise in detained Bangladeshi nationals and a smaller number of Pakistani nationals.
The detention centre became operational in March and was created to address a long-standing problem faced by police stations across Mumbai, where foreign nationals awaiting deportation were often kept inside lock-ups, station rooms or other makeshift spaces for weeks or months. Officials say such detainees are not conventional criminal accused in many cases and cannot legally be housed indefinitely inside police lock-ups.
Police sources said that before the facility opened, some detainees were allegedly asked to remain within police station jurisdiction limits and report regularly while deportation paperwork and nationality verification were processed. The Bhoiwada centre was envisioned as a centralised holding facility where foreign nationals could stay until being deported or handed over to immigration authorities.
The two-storey facility has around 40 rooms and can accommodate roughly 80 detainees. But officials say the numbers have risen rapidly since it became operational.
The detention centre for illegal foreign nationals in Dadar's Bhoiwada. Pic/Aishwarya Iyer
"Within days of opening, the facility housed dozens of Bangladeshi nationals. With deportation procedures often taking weeks and months, there is no new space being created for the ones waiting at the police station," a police source told mid-day.
Officials say deportation delays remain one of the biggest bottlenecks. Authorities must establish nationality, coordinate with embassies and immigration agencies, secure travel documentation and complete border handover procedures before deportation can take place. Pakistani nationals involve an even more sensitive diplomatic and security process, police said.
Operational since: March 2026
Location: Bhoiwada, Dadar
Structure: Two-storey facility
Total rooms: Around 40
Capacity: Roughly 80 detainees
Purpose: Temporary stay for foreign nationals awaiting deportation
Before the detention centre opened:
>> Foreign nationals were often kept inside police lock-ups or station premises
>> Police stations struggled with a lack of space during prolonged deportation processes
>> Detainees awaiting verification were not always under judicial custody
>> Some detainees were allegedly asked to stay within police station limits and report regularly
Police action against undocumented immigrants has intensified across Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai, increasing pressure on the detention system. Verification drives have been conducted in:
>> Slum pockets
>> Labour hubs
>> Construction sites
>> Scrap markets
>> Rented accommodations
According to official figures, Mumbai Police detained and deported more than 1000 Bangladeshi nationals in 2025, while several hundred more have already been detained this year.
The deportation process involves coordination between multiple agencies, including:
>> Mumbai Police units
>> State authorities
>> FRRO
>> Ministry of Home Affairs
>> Immigration authorities
>> Border Security Force
According to senior police officials, detention centres are designed for prolonged stay and include:
>> Sleeping and resting areas
>> Kitchen and food arrangements
>> Sanitation infrastructure
Officials say these facilities are structurally more suitable than police lock-ups for housing detainees awaiting deportation.
