- 1937: Delhi Jail commissioned at Delhi Gate with Sh. M.E.L. Lewis, P.C.S(ADM) as first Jail Superintendent.
- 1958: Central Jail commissioned at Tihar with a sanctioned capacity of 1273 prisoners.
- 1980: District Jail constructed with a sanctioned capacity to lodge 740 prisoners.
- 1984-85: The existing Central Jail was trifurcated during this period as Central Jail No.1, 2 & 3 having sanctioned capacity for each jail as 565, 455 & 740 prisoners respectively.
- 1990: District Jail was elevated to Central Jail and designated as Central Jail No.4.
- 1996: Central Jail No.5 commissioned with a sanctioned capacity of 750 prisoners for keeping adolescents (between the age group of 18 to 21 years)
- 2000: Central Jail No.6 commissioned exclusively for lodging 400 female prisoners.
- 2003: Central Jail No.7 commissioned for lodging 350 prisoners.
- 2004: District Jail, Rohini commissioned for lodging 1050 prisoners.
- 2005: Central Jail No.8 & 9 commissioned for lodging 600 prisoners each.
- 2008: Construction of Mandoli Jail Complex for lodging approx. 3776 prisoners began in May,2008.
- 2016: Jail no-14, Mandoli was made operational in Oct 2016, with sanction capacity of 588 inmates. And after this Central Jail-13 also commenced in December 2016 with sanction capacity of 980 inmates, this Jail is also having 52 bedded Jail Hospital of Mandoli Jail Complex.
- 2017: Jail no-15, the High Security Jail commenced in March 2017 with sanction capacity of 248 inmates.In July 2017 Central Jail-16, the Woman Jail with capacity of 280 inmates commenced.In September 2017 Central Jail-12 commenced with sanction capacity of 980 inmates.Later in October 2017 Central Jail-11 commenced in October 2017 with sanction capacity of 700 inmates.
There is also a proposal to construct jails at Narela and Baprola area in Delhi to decongest the existing prisons.