VADODARA: Volunteers from the local Christian community are racing against time, working tirelessly to build 120 wooden coffins to facilitate the dignified transport of remains of the Ahmedabad plane crash victims to their families.
Led by father-son coffin makers Ardesh and Melvyn Rajwadi, the team has already completed 25 coffins by Saturday evening, demonstrating incredible dedication in the face of tragedy.
Those involved in the work said volunteers are buying material with their own money and would not charge a rupee more than the cost of production.
"Air India contacted us and placed an order for 120 coffins to transport the mortal remains of the plane crash victims (currently kept at the mortuary in Ahmedabad civil hospital).
We started work at 9pm on Friday and completed 25 coffins by Saturday afternoon. We will complete 50 coffins by tonight and hand it over to the company," said Ardesh Rajwadi.
Five to six volunteers from the Christian community are helping him and his father, Ardesh added.
Aldrin Thomas, one of the volunteers, said coffin making is a time consuming task and it can take two hours to complete a single piece.
"These are made of plywood, which have to be cut keeping precise dimensions in mind.
We have to carefully attach the cut pieces to make the rectangular coffins, before encasing it in white cloth.
Each coffin is two feet wide and six feet long so that most bodies can be accommodated.
We got together to help the Rajwadi family prepare them in time," Thomas said.