BHUBANESWAR: A day after the state capital got its first gas-based crematorium, Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) has initiated measures to re-develop four more cremation and burial grounds in different parts of the city to facilitate residents to cremate bodies of their loved ones without any hassles.
Sources said BDA has planned re-development of a crematorium ground at Dumduma, a burial ground in Jadupur and a crematorium ground in Gautam Nagar area of the city. The Dumduma crematorium will be re-developed on 1.58 acre land, while the burial ground at Jadupur will be re-developed on 1.65 acre. A crematorium spread over 2.15 acre will also be revamped by the agency in Jadupur, while the proposed area of re-development of Garabadu cremation ground at Gautam Nagar in old town is yet to be known.
The BDA has already floated Request for Proposal (RFP) in this regard, earlier this month, for selection of an architectural consultant for design and supervision of the re-development work. Sources said apart from the crematorium building and parking space, the agency is mulling to construct area for viewing the bodies, a waiting room for mourners as well as a prayer room for religious rituals.
The agency has planned high-quality and efficient cremation furnaces in the cremation grounds. It has also planned a cremation ash collection and disposal system as well as a well-equipped administrative office in each of the crematoriums to facilitate easy booking and assist families during the cremation process. The crematorium and burial grounds will be under CCTV surveillance while focus will also be on adequate cleanliness on the campuses.
Memorial walls and gardens to provide a peaceful space for families and friends to remember their loved ones, has also been planned. The move assumes significance in view of the problems faced by residents in cremating bodies of their loved ones due to lack of proper management of the major crematorium of the city at Satya Nagar.
Technical snags at the lone electric burner installed at the crematorium, reported often, has become a major obstacle in the cremation process,while inadequate space in the adjacent burial ground has also been a problem. In a bid to address the plight of the residents and reduce pollution, Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL), in partnership with Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has made a natural gas-based crematorium, a first of its kind in Odisha, operational at Dharma Vihar near Khandagiri from Friday.
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Dumduma crematorium to be re-developed on 1.58 acre land
Jadupur burial ground on 1.65 acre
The revamped crematoriums will have several amenities including prayer rooms