COVID deaths: People wait hours to get kin cremated in Bengaluru

BENGALURU: Queues in front of the four electric crematoria in the city for Covid victims, are getting longer.

At least 8 to 10 hearse vans and ambulances can be seen outside the crematoria at any time, with the waiting time going up to six or seven hours.

Medi Agrahara and Sumanahalli, two of the major crematoria, are witnessing the maximum rush with almost 22 bodies waiting for cremation almost every day in the past four days.

”The number of deaths are going up and only four crematoria have been earmarked for this purpose. This is a huge problem and it stresses the relatives of the deceased,” said a person at one of the crematoria.

While the cremation process takes about 15-20 minutes in an electric crematorium, the procedure for Covid victims takes a little more than an hour, officials said.

However, BBMP workers, ambulance drivers and family members of the deceased have to wait for at least three hours and it’s almost likely they have to wait for the whole day.

However, BBMP Chief Health Officer Dr B K Vijendra told TNIE that the rush at some crematoria was because people have not booked their slots online and they have to wait till the scheduled slots are over.

The zonal special commissioners have told the electric engineers to take stock of the situation and ensure that the rush is cleared immediately.

At present, BBMP has reserved four electric crematoriums for Covid victims. They are — Kalpahalli, Medi Agrahara, Sumanahalli and Kanatoor. Also, each centre has two machines.

Meanwhile, the BBMP has urged all citizens and hospitals to book slots online. The officials added that ambulances have also been deployed with crematoriums.