Delhi: Dog crematorium site to be used for humans

NEW DELHI: With the number of Covid-protocol funerals approaching 700 bodies per day, the civic bodies are scrambling for space for funerals of the Covid patients.
While new pyre platforms are being added across the city crematoria to push them to the maximum capacity, South Delhi Municipal Corporation plans to create temporary human funeral pyre platforms on the project site meant for the first municipal dog crematorium of the city in Dwarka Sector -29.
“Temporary pyre platforms will be developed to cater to additional bodies. We are witnessing an increase of over 15-20% in cremations daily,” said a corporation official.
The crematorium site, which is spread over 3.5 acres, has not been in operation yet. Around six months ago, the civic body approved the cremation rates for this upcoming animal crematorium. SDMC standing committee had approved the establishment of a small animal crematorium on PPP mode.
Last week, 650 funeral pyres were reserved for the Covid bodies, which were increased to 773, and currently stand at 882 bodies per day. “With around 700 bodies already being cremated, we have to prepare for 1,000 bodies a day in advance to avoid chaos. We have also identified sites along the Yamuna to increase the capacity,” an official said.
The city has also seen an expansion of crematoriums in parking lots and parks along the funeral centres, as both the Covid and the non-Covid cremations have seen a multi-fold increase. Delhi saw 696 Covid protocol funerals on Tuesday till 6pm, while many awaited their turn.