Delhi: SDMC increases daily cremation capacity from 289 to 365 amid surge in COVID deaths

New Delhi, Apr 23: The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has increased its daily cremation capacity from 289 to 365 to cope up with the increase in the number of COVID-19 deaths, the civic body said on Friday.

As many as 1,541 people have died due to COVID-19 in the last week, according to Delhi's health bulletin data.

Of the total increased capacity, 289 platforms/pyres have been earmarked for COVID-19 victims, it added.

'Earlier capacity of cremation was 289 per day which has now been augmented to 365. Out of the total capacity, 289 have been reserved for COVID-19 affected bodies,' read the statement by SDMC.

The nine crematoriums and burial grounds falling under the jurisdiction of SDMC are located at Punjabi Bagh, Hastsal, Subhash Nagar, Lodhi Road, Sarai Kale Khan, Lal Kuan, ITO, Dwarka, Sector 24 and Green Park.

The SDMC has also deployed trained staff and arrangements have been made for waste segregation as the risk of COVID-19 spread is high at these centres, it said.

Also, makeshift tents have been put up for relatives and families of the deceased coming to these centres to cremate the non-COVID bodies, it said.

Delhi logged a record 306 COVID-19 deaths and 26,169 cases with a positivity rate of 36.24 per cent, highest since the pandemic began a year ago, on Thursday even as the city hospitals grappled with depleting oxygen supply for the third consecutive day.