Hyderabad: GHMC to revamp crematoriums for people of all religions

Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is planning to construct crematoriums that could aid people from Muslim, Hindu and, Christian communities perform the last rites on the same site.

The construction of a crematorium to facilitate the needs of all three religions has been initiated at locations including LB Nagar, Padma Nagar Phase II at Qutubullapur. Both the locations would include a Vaikunta Dhamam, a Qabristan, and Graveyard at a common site.

The project will take up 13.64 acres in Saheb Nagar. The GHMC will spend an estimated Rs 458 crore. It will include three separate entrances. In addition to this, the civic body has also put up a gas-and oil-fired crematorium worth Rs 90 lakhs. It is constructed on 151 square meters on the site.

Similarly, the Padmanagar Phase II crematorium is built on 2 acres of land at an estimated cost of Rs 150 lakh, including two separate entrances. A Vaikunta Dhamam in Borabanda ward, a Muslim graveyard in Gajularamaram, and a Hindu crematorium at Begumpet are being developed.

The GHMC has completed the construction of 24 crematoriums or graveyards at the cost of Rs 24.13 crore under Phase-I. Under the second phase, 10 such facilities at an estimated cost of Rs 25.02 crore will be developed.

Phase-II includes the development of five such sites at a cost of Rs 11.08 crore. The remaining five are at various stages of construction. The civic body has initiated the development of graveyards, converting them into ‘model crematoriums/ graveyards’ through improved facilities.