Corporation props ‘dignity’ in crematorium upgrade plan

A walk-through of the Corporation’s proposal to redesign the Kannamapettai crematorium reveals a tastefully designed building, with two entrances – each of them leading to an LPG-powered furnace. Outside, manicured landscapes line the premises, while a renovated, open-air structure will be allocated for performing the rituals before the last rites are carried out. 

Currently, the crematorium is in a dilapidated condition, with conventional electric furnaces – one of which has been non-functional. 

“There are three units in Kannamapettai crematorium, where one is being maintained by a foundation from the Jain community, while the other two are under the Corporation. The redesign will feature a well-designed common entrance, which will have access points to the two furnaces – one on each side,” said a Corporation official. The Corporation will convert the electrical crematoriums to LPG-powered ones, to increase the efficiency. 

“Electrical furnaces take a long time to heat and consume more energy, whereas the LPG has a better calorific value. In addition, the coil in electrical furnaces gets destroyed easily, requiring replacement, which often results in closing the unit for weeks,” said the official. The redesigning of the space has been taken up under the Chennai Smart City Limited (CSCL) funding and will be completed at an estimated cost of Rs 2.87 crore. 

“Apart from the modernisation aspect, we wanted to renovate the space to ensure a dignified surrounding for the last rites of the departed soul,” said a Smart City official. Regarding the maintenance of the crematorium, the civic body will decide if it will be under the maintenance of the Corporation or will be handed out to an NGO, as is the practice in many of the city’s crematoriums. 

Currently, there are 38 private and Corporation maintained burial grounds/ crematoriums, of which 22 are already gasifier crematoriums while eight are electricity powered facilities. Recently, the renovation of the Besant Nagar crematorium has been undertaken by the Coimbatore-based Isha Foundation.