Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Modernisation of Thycaud crematorium picks up

T. Nandakumar

On-site mortuary a major feature of the project

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The work of modernising the city corporation's cremation ground at Thycaud is picking up.

The construction of a new block to house electric furnaces is under way. The building has been redesigned to accommodate three units. The corporation has already acquired two electric furnaces and a third one is likely to be ordered soon.

Officials said the project was expected to be completed within three months. The furnace erection is likely to commence next month.

The Rs.3.5-crore project seeks to improve the existing facilities in the crematorium, augment the number of furnace units and beautify the premises.

The existing electric crematorium on the premises is to be renovated and used for pre-cremation rituals. The project designers have proposed a diesel generator as a back-up system to keep the electric units working during power failure. An on-site mortuary is another major feature of the project.

The four firewood furnaces will be provided with improved refractory brick lining, while the traditional cremation ground using husk and straw is to be retained with modifications.

All the units will have facilities for periodic collection of ash without interrupting the cremation process. The initial proposal to install a gas-fired crematorium has been shelved because the technology is yet to be refined.

The main entrance to the redesigned crematorium is from the Kannettumukku- Killipalam road on the East side. There are separate gates for pedestrians and vehicles. The site will have parking lots for cars and two wheelers.

Another entrance at the South West corner will provide access to VIP vehicles and ambulances bringing dead bodies. A road starting from the entry runs around the electric unit and leads to the balippura, bathroom and the other units within the complex. The project also involves the widening of the approach road from Mettukada.

Walkway

An elevated walkway from the pedestrian entry cuts across the parking area. Both sides of the tiled walkway will be covered with lawns and flowering plants. Three flights of steps provide access to the burning grounds.

A pavilion located in the middle of the walkway provides a waiting shed for the public. The area between the electric and wood-burning units will accommodate a bigger pavilion. Two toilet blocks will also be built.

The sprawling premises, covering an area of 1.4 acres, will be landscaped with lawns, gardens and four freshwater pools stocked with fish. The entire premises will be ringed by a green belt comprising trees of select species, said a spokesman for the Kumar Group, which designed the project.

In 1994, the Legislative committee on Environment had recommended the modernisation of burial and burning grounds to reduce pollution problems. The committee also observed that it was not easy to locate new burial or burning grounds in cities. Hence, the practical solution was to modernise the existing grounds and equip them to handle more bodies with lesser pollution.

The modernisation of the crematorium is part of a package of four projects drawn up by the city corporation with the objective of improving infrastructure and giving a facelift to the capital city. The other three projects include the beautification of the Shanghumughom beach and the Putherikandam maidan, and the conversion of the Manaveeyam Veedi at Vellayambalam into a boulevard.

While the beach beautification project is held up by the delay in transferring land, the Putherikandam project is bogged down by administrative problems. Civic officials said the Manaveeyam Veedi was likely to be scrapped in the absence of a political consensus.

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