No Unclaimed Body, No Trial: Rs 2.5-Cr Chromepet Crematorium Remains Shut

CHENNAI: The crematorium at Lakshmi Nagar, in Chromepet, constructed at a cost of Rs 2.5 crore eight months ago, has not come into use for the public. Tambaram Corporation officials say that they are waiting for an unclaimed body to conduct a trial before opening it.

Lakshmipuram area in Chrompet did not have a crematorium and the people had to go to the Corporation crematorium in front of the Tambaram headquarters hospital for carrying out funerals. Since the funeral procession had to cross the GST Road and go a long distance, people faced many hardships.

Following a request by the people to the Tambaram Corporation, it constructed a crematorium at a cost of Rs 2.5 crore. The construction was completed eight months ago, but it was not opened for public use.

Social activist V. Santhanam said the completed crematorium has remained closed for the last eight months. When people appealed to the Tambaram Corporation Commissioner and other officials, they said they wanted an unclaimed body without relatives to be used for trial before opening the crematorium for use.

Santhanam said the officials carried out a trial by burning dry coconut branches and wooden logs after people’s continued demand, but the crematorium was not opened even then.

A Corporation official said initially, the trust of Lakshmipuram Residents Welfare Association promised to take up the maintenance work, but that they were delaying it. However, another trust has come forward to maintain the crematorium and it would be opened soon, he promised.