Upgrades at Lodhi Road Crematorium and Other Facilities Across Delhi
The Lodhi Road crematorium is one of the 49 cremation and burial sites identified by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for improvements. As part of the upgrade, the parking area has been expanded to accommodate up to 100 vehicles, and new lighting poles have been installed to improve visibility. Additional renovations, including building a boundary wall, installing a gate, and constructing a toilet block and office space, are also underway.
An MCD official explained, “We have identified 49 crematoriums and burial grounds that need work related to civil and electrical upgrades. Funds have been allocated, and the renovations will be completed in phases this year and in the next financial year.”
The Lodhi Road crematorium currently has two electric furnaces, 20 traditional pyres, and four moksh dhams (shelters for rituals). However, one of the electric furnaces is not operational and will be replaced soon. The official also mentioned efforts to encourage people to use eco-friendly options like electric cremation.
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Work in Progress at Other Locations
Renovation work is also ongoing at other sites, including Basant Gaon, Jonapur, Kishangarh, Aya Nagar, Dakshinpuri, Green Park Extension, Karkardooma, and Sabhapur.
For instance:
- Karkardooma Cremation Ground: A new gate has been built, and other repairs have been completed.
- Buland Masjid Burial Ground (Shastri Park): An additional 2,000 square meters of land from the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is being developed as the existing burial space is full.
- Madanpur Khadar: The road leading to the cremation ground has been resurfaced, and renovations are ongoing.
The upgrades include repairing internal roads, fixing drainage systems, restoring boundary walls, installing CCTV cameras, setting up seating areas, and improving entrances and lighting.
Push for Modern Cremation Methods
The MCD is also installing more eco-friendly cremation options like CNG and electric furnaces. Currently, around 9% of cremations in Delhi use non-traditional methods, a significant rise from the 3-5% before the COVID-19 pandemic.
So far, the MCD has added 20 CNG and three electric furnaces at nine crematoriums, and work on four more sites is ongoing. These efforts aim to make cremation and burial services more efficient, sustainable, and accessible for Delhi’s residents.
