SAMBALPUR: The new crematorium in Sambalpur city developed under the Samaleswari Temple Area Management and Local Economy Initiatives (SAMALEI) scheme will become functional from Friday. The plan to develop a new crematorium was proposed as the land of the existing crematorium ‘Rajghat’ in Kamlibazar near the Samaleswari temple, was to be acquired for implementation of the SAMALEI scheme. Subsequently, it was included in the plan and a site was identified at Mandalia area of the city last year.
In June last year, an eviction drive was carried out to clear the identified land and the evicted families were relocated to Kanijuri area of the city. The new crematorium has been built over 3,625 square metre area.
Unlike Rajghat, the crematorium at Mandalia has several other facilities including a waiting hall, ritual hall, separate changing room and a room to store ash vessels apart from toilets, office room and adequate parking area within its premises spread over 2.4 acre.
An official of the Sambalpur Municipal Corporation (SMC) informed that provision has also been made for the installation of gas and electric crematorium and tenders for the same have been floated. Also, work for a direct passage from the crematorium to Mahanadi, planned by the Water Resources department, is under progress and will be completed soon.
Enforcement officer of SMC Subhankar Mohanty said tender has been floated to select an agency which will manage the crematorium. “As many as 13 staff will be engaged for the purpose. Meanwhile, until the agency is finalised, the current group of staff which is managing the Rajghat crematorium will also operate the new crematorium. Though social organisations have been tagged to provide hearse service, we will also be providing one vehicle to the new agency at reasonable price which they will manage,” he added.
The new area for cremation is just around 2 km via Ring road from Rajghat. Once it starts functioning, the Rajghat will be demolished to clear space for the SAMALEI redevelopment project.