The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is looking at establishing nine more electric crematoriums. As of now, the city has 11 electric crematoriums.
BBMP Commissioner N. Manjunath Prasad made the announcement after inspecting a few of the crematoriums.
Land in seven locations had been handed over to the civic body by the Deputy Commissioner (Bengaluru Urban). Tenders for an electric crematorium in Kumbalgodu, Kengeri hobli and another in Kurubarahalli, Tavarekere hobli have been approved by the BBMP council.
According to sources in the BBMP, the civic body had been seeking land from the Deputy Commissioner (Bengaluru Urban) for quite a few years now. This issue had been raised multiple times at the coordination committee meetings chaired by Chief Secretary T.M. Vijay Bhaskar. However, it was only recently that land had been allocated.
BBMP’s Engineer-in-Chief M.R. Venkatesh told The Hindu that tenders for crematoriums proposed in Bagalur, Kuduregere, Shivanapura and Avalahalli, all coming under Yelahanka taluk, are likely to be placed before the BBMP council in August for approval.
“We have sought land in Bommanahalli and Mahadevapura zones. These zones are witnessing fast development and such facilities will be required in future,” he said.
Mr. Venkatesh said that while land in Hullegowdanahalli, also coming under Yelahanka taluk, was yet to be handed over to the BBMP, the civic body had sought alternate land after being allocated a small parcel in Devasandra village in Bengaluru East taluk.
“Most of the land parcels handed over to the BBMP are either one or two acres. In some places, the land already have compounds. In many places, there are no approach roads. While preparing the detailed project report, we take into account the distance between the land parcel and the nearest 11 kV or 66 kV transformer from where power has to be drawn,” he explained.
The BBMP has sought funds for construction of another crematorium at Thalaghattapura in Uttarahalli hobli. “The DPR for the project is ready. However, we need funds before floating a tender and allocating a job code. Owing to the precarious financial condition of the civic body, we are not sure if funds will be allocated,” he added.
Earlier, the Revenue Department had identified 35 acres and 18 guntas for burial grounds in Dasanapura in Bengaluru North taluk, Uttarahalli and Tavarekere hoblis in Bengaluru South taluk, Jigani in Anekal taluk, and Jala and Hesaraghatta hoblis in Yelahanka taluk. However, resistance by local communities forced the civic body to look for other sites.
Apart from 11 acres identified earlier, the district administration has identified 12 acres in villages in Bengaluru North, Bengaluru South, Anekal and Yelahanka taluks.