MCD councillors demand revamp of city’s crematoriums

Drawing attention to the dilapidated state of crematoriums in the city, MCD councillors, in a recent meeting, demanded that the crematoriums should be redeveloped without further delay. HT reports.

Drawing attention to the dilapidated state of crematoriums in the city, MCD councillors, in a recent meeting, demanded that the crematoriums should be redeveloped without further delay.

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The civic body, in its budget this year, had declared that it will revamp more than 50 crematoriums but so far not much has been done in that direction.

Rekha Gupta, member of Standing Committee of MCD, raised the issue at the MCD meeting and said all crematoriums belonging to MCD are facing problems and the civic body needs to address it immediately.

“The crematorium at Nigambodh Ghat is visited by so many people but it is in a shambles. The roads are in a bad condition. The management also takes a lot of money from the people which is illegal. The crematorium is in dire need of redevelopment,” she said.

A CNG crematorium has been proposed at Green Park and according to MCD officials it will be ready in a few months time. However, there was no clear answer on the future of the rest of the crematoriums that are currently with the MCD. The one on Bela Road has not been functioning for several years now.

According to senior MCD officials, the civic body is supposed to revamp the existing system by making new platforms, putting tiles on the floor and improving the horticulture aspects of the area. It has also earmarked a budget for the project but it is still stuck in a limbo.

A couple of years ago, the MCD had started its CNG crematoriums in several places but nearly all of them are non-functional. In December last year, the Nigambodh Ghat crematorium had run into trouble over classification of cremation platforms into VIP and non-VIP categories. The CNG crematorium at this place mostly remains shut due to poor maintenance.