MCD completes ₹5-crore redevelopment of Sarai Kale Khan crematorium

MCD has developed the facility over 15,544 square metres for cremation grounds, while 750 square meters have been allocated for toilets, drinking water facilities, and a registration office.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has completed the redevelopment of landscaped modern crematorium at Sarai Kale Khan under a ₹5-crore project and finishing touches are being provided to the facility before it opens within the next few months, senior municipal officials said. Located along Yamuna floodplains, the Sarai Kale Khan unit is expected to reduce the load on Nigam Bodh Ghat facility.

A senior MCD official said that this will be fourth large crematorium in Delhi located on the riverbank. (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)

A senior MCD official said that this will be fourth large crematorium in Delhi located on the riverbank. “Our team had visited the Banjara hills facility to study their model cremation facility and several features have been borrowed from that site. It has 16-pyre platforms, while two separate pyre platforms have been developed for the funerals of VIPs. It is more spacious and a large part of site has been kept as green belt,” the official added.

MCD has developed the facility over 15,544 square metres for cremation grounds, while 750 square meters have been allocated for toilets, drinking water facilities, and a registration office. “Parking facilities will be available within the crematorium complex, and the surrounding area will also be developed as a parking lot. A grand entrance gate is being constructed, where a statue of Lord Shiva will be installed,” an official present at the site said.

Modern architectural features, including a small waterbody, sculptures, landscaped green areas, baradari-raised platforms for rituals, have also been developed on the site.

Before the redevelopment, Sarai Kale Khan crematorium site was highly underutilised, being used mostly for cremating unclaimed bodies. The need for expansion of the facility was first felt during the Covid pandemic when the existing major crematoria were found under acute strain and corporation was forced to create pyre platforms in the garden area of the facility. An overall plan was made in 2023 to increase the capacity of major crematoria. Last year in January, the corporation had invited bids for executing the project which is initially expected to be completed by November 2025. However it saw delays due to GRAP related restrictions.

Last year, in January, the corporation had invited bids for executing the project which was initially expected to be completed by November 2025.

HT has conducted a spot check of the project. Close to the entrance stands a 10-foot-tall white statue of Lord Shiva has been placedat the centre of a circular water pool. Two platforms have been built for performing the “pind daan” (ritual offering to ancestors), providing shelter from rain and sun. “A Ganga water line is being laid for the section for ritual bath and statue of Ganga will come up here,” official added.

Notably, the site earlier only had an electric crematorium where unclaimed bodies are cremated using electricity. The common area has a large waiting area made of tensile structures facing two clusters of ten pyres each.

A second official said that every effort has been made to ensure the comfort of those attending the last rites. “Visitors will be protected from the sun, rain, and other inconveniences. Structures above the pyre section have been designed in such a way that the smoke from the burning pyres will escape in a channelled way,” official said.

With 99% of the work inside the complex done, another MCD official said, “Once the approach road to the facility is relaid we are hoping to open it to the public in the next one to two months.”

According to the annual report on registration of births and deaths in Delhi (2024), the city registered 1,39,480 deaths. MCD oversees operations at 59 traditional cremation grounds (wood-based), and nine Muslim and four Christian burial sites.