Delhi sets rates for hearse vans for Covid-19 victims

The order further stated that the family members of the deceased will have to pay additional ₹700 to avail the “body wrapping” facility as per Covid protocols.

The Delhi government has fixed the rates for booking hearse vans and related services for deceased Covid-19 patients, an order issued by the state disaster management authority on Saturday showed.

Mortuary services for coronavirus patients are provided free of cost in private as well as government facilities, the order said.

“The rates of hearse van facility for deceased Covid-19 patients has been fixed at ₹1,300 per trip for initial 10 kilometres and ₹100 per kilometre thereafter. This will include the cost of transportation with a driver and one attendant wearing PPE kits,” stated the order issued by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA).

The order further stated that the family members of the deceased will have to pay additional ₹700 to avail the “body wrapping” facility as per Covid protocols. “In case the services of an additional person is required by the family of the deceased patients to handle the body/wrapping etc, the charges would be ₹500, which includes charges of safety gear to be worn by the additional person. No extra charge for sanitisation will be charged by the vendor,” it said.

Mortuary services for coronavirus patients are provided free of cost in private as well as government facilities, the order said.

The order, which comes on the direction of the Delhi high court, is going to give a major relief to people as there were several cases of overcharging.

The Delhi Police have arrested at least four hearse van drivers in the city for charging exorbitant amounts to transfer bodies from hospitals to crematoriums and burial grounds, including one who charged ₹14,000 for driving six kilometres from Mukherjee Nagar to Nigambodh Ghat on May 2.

A committee, constituted under the chairmanship of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation commissioner, had recommended the rates for hearse/mortuary services to be provided to deceased coronavirus patients, the DDMA order said.

Last week, the government also capped rates charged by private ambulance services.