+
Shah Inaugurates Rs 880 Million Forensic Lab in Kolkata
ECONOMY & POLICY

Shah Inaugurates Rs 880 Million Forensic Lab in Kolkata

Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the new Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) building in Kolkata on Sunday, constructed at a cost of Rs 880 million. The state-of-the-art facility is expected to enhance forensic capabilities across eastern and northeastern states, including West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, Assam, and Sikkim.

Addressing the gathering, Shah underscored the government's commitment to a secure, transparent, and evidence-led criminal justice system under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He stated that the new CFSL would play a key role in implementing India's newly framed criminal laws and delivering timely justice.

The Minister highlighted that forensic science is critical in ensuring convictions and announced that a national network of forensic laboratories is being built under a cluster model, enabling 3–4 states to share resources. From January 2026, a national campaign will begin to introduce forensic practices at the police station level, transitioning from argument-based to evidence-based policing.

Shah also launched digital forensic tools—Narcotics Version 2.0 and Explosives Version 2.0—intended to streamline investigations. He noted the increasing complexity of crime in the digital era and stressed the need for law enforcement to adopt cutting-edge technologies.

He cited the rollout of three new criminal laws—the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA)—which replace colonial statutes. These laws make forensic evidence mandatory in crimes with punishments exceeding seven years and empower investigators with stronger legal backing.

Shah reported improvements in judicial efficiency, including 60 per cent of chargesheets now being filed within 60 days. He also mentioned new legal provisions enabling trial in absentia to bring fugitives to justice through global coordination.

To support the expanding forensic framework, the government has approved 16 campuses for the National Forensic Science University (NFSU), of which seven are operational. These institutes aim to train 36,000 forensic professionals annually, surpassing the current national demand of 30,000.

In addition, nine more NFSU campuses and seven new CFSLs are being established across India, including in Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Bihar, with a combined investment of over Rs 21 billion. A National Forensic Data Centre will also be developed with a dedicated outlay of Rs 2 billion.

Shah concluded by affirming the government’s goal of delivering fast, evidence-backed justice accessible to every citizen, especially the marginalised.


Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the new Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) building in Kolkata on Sunday, constructed at a cost of Rs 880 million. The state-of-the-art facility is expected to enhance forensic capabilities across eastern and northeastern states, including West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, Assam, and Sikkim.Addressing the gathering, Shah underscored the government's commitment to a secure, transparent, and evidence-led criminal justice system under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He stated that the new CFSL would play a key role in implementing India's newly framed criminal laws and delivering timely justice.The Minister highlighted that forensic science is critical in ensuring convictions and announced that a national network of forensic laboratories is being built under a cluster model, enabling 3–4 states to share resources. From January 2026, a national campaign will begin to introduce forensic practices at the police station level, transitioning from argument-based to evidence-based policing.Shah also launched digital forensic tools—Narcotics Version 2.0 and Explosives Version 2.0—intended to streamline investigations. He noted the increasing complexity of crime in the digital era and stressed the need for law enforcement to adopt cutting-edge technologies.He cited the rollout of three new criminal laws—the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA)—which replace colonial statutes. These laws make forensic evidence mandatory in crimes with punishments exceeding seven years and empower investigators with stronger legal backing.Shah reported improvements in judicial efficiency, including 60 per cent of chargesheets now being filed within 60 days. He also mentioned new legal provisions enabling trial in absentia to bring fugitives to justice through global coordination.To support the expanding forensic framework, the government has approved 16 campuses for the National Forensic Science University (NFSU), of which seven are operational. These institutes aim to train 36,000 forensic professionals annually, surpassing the current national demand of 30,000.In addition, nine more NFSU campuses and seven new CFSLs are being established across India, including in Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Bihar, with a combined investment of over Rs 21 billion. A National Forensic Data Centre will also be developed with a dedicated outlay of Rs 2 billion.Shah concluded by affirming the government’s goal of delivering fast, evidence-backed justice accessible to every citizen, especially the marginalised.

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

KMRL Invites Bids For Metro Phase 2 Station Works

Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) has invited bids for completing the balance works related to the construction of entry and exit buildings at Civil Station Junction and Cochin SEZ Metro Station, as part of Phase 2 of the Kochi Metro project.Phase 2 covers a single corridor — the Pink Line — running 11.2 km between JLN Stadium and Infopark II, with 11 stations. The latest tender is aimed at finalising station access works, excluding architectural and building service components.According to tender documents, the estimated cost of the contract is Rs 1.99 billion. The pre-bid meeting is schedu..

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

Tamil Nadu Clears Preparatory Work For New Chennai Metro Line

The Tamil Nadu government has granted administrative sanction for the preparatory work on the 21.76-km Koyambedu–Avadi–Pattabiram metro corridor. This approval allows Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) to begin land acquisition, utility shifting, and other groundwork while awaiting clearance from the Union government.The State government had already approved the project in May and submitted the detailed project report to the Centre. However, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has also requested a Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) before granting final approval.According to an order i..

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

Metro-14 To Link Kanjurmarg With Badlapur In Thane

Mumbai’s metro network is set for a major expansion with the proposed Metro-14 line, connecting Vikhroli/Kanjurmarg in eastern Mumbai to Badlapur in Thane district. Spanning between 38 km and 45 km, the project promises to drastically cut the current 1.5–2 hour road commute to a matter of minutes.The line will feature a mix of underground, elevated and at-grade stretches — running underground from Kanjurmarg to Ghansoli, before shifting to elevated tracks up to Badlapur. Key stations under consideration include Kanjurmarg, Vikhroli, LBS Marg, Chikoli, Shil Phata, Mahape, Ghansoli, Airoli..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?