Delhi: Bodies of Covid-19 victims diverted to Nigambodh Ghat from Punjabi Bagh site due to rush

NEW DELHI: For three days starting June 9, a large number of bodies of Covid-19 victims were sent to Punjabi Bagh crematorium, but had to be diverted to Nigambodh Ghat as the site reached its full capacity, civic officials said on Friday. On June 9 and June 10, as many as 65 bodies were sent on each day, and 73 bodies were sent on June 11, a senior SDMC official said.
"Punjabi Bagh crematorium has a capacity of 70 wood-based pyres, and four CNG-based ones.The official cremation time is 7 am to 10 pm. And, for three days, we received a large number of bodies of coronavirus victims," the official said.
A senior official of the NDMC said, "Yes, bodies were diverted to our Nigambodh Ghat due to rush there".
Delhi recorded 1,877 fresh coronavirus cases on Thursday, the highest single-day spike, taking the Covid-19 tally in the city to over 34,000-mark, and the death toll due to the disease mounted to 1,085, authorities said.
About 15 cremations sites, one Christian burial ground and a Muslim burial ground are under the civic bodies of the national capital.
A spokesperson of the SDMC said, all the funeral sites under civic bodies up until recent time, had a capacity to perform 95 cremations as per Covid-19 protocol per day. This has now been increased to 360.
However, no one was refused cremation at Punjabi Bagh site, he said.
Safdarjung Hospital, AIIMS, RML Hospital send bodies to Punjabi Bagh and LNJP Hospital, GB Pant Hospital and Babu Jagjiwan Ram Hospital to Nigambodh Ghat, officials said.
Senior Congress leader Ajay Maken had on Thursday tweeted about the rush at Punjabi Bagh cremation site and attached a video showing a large number of funeral pyres.