Cochin first’s first project in limbo

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The renovation of one of the oldest crematoriums in the state, Ravipuram crematorium, part of the much-hyped Cochin First, which was heralded as the flagship project of the city corporation, has failed to take off.

The renovation works, formally inaugurated on March 26, have not been completed and the technology to be used for the furnace is yet to be finalised.

The repair and replacement of the furnace is being undertaken with the support of the Rotary Club of Cochin.

According to the agreement signed between the corporation and the Rotary Club, the renovation project, worth `70 lakhs, was to be completed in three months.

The plan was to replace the existing furnace with an LPG- based one and to landscape the surroundings.

Meanwhile, works committee chairperson Soumini Jain said that the project can be completed within three months once the technology for the furnace is finalised.

“The delay in deciding the technology has affected the timely completion of the project. We are running the crematorium as a social service and not as a business. So, the system has to be efficient and economical,” she said.

The ownership and management of the crematorium will be in the hands of the corporation and the role of the Rotary Club will be limited to providing support for the renovation. “We’ve shortlisted one or two technologies.

The corporation authorities will be invited to visit and assess these technologies by the first week of September. As running cost is a major concern, we were in search of the most effective and affordable technology,” said K. Lava, president of the club.

The electric crematorium at Ravipuram was inaugurated in the late 90s. It stopped functioning in 2008. Later, the civic body decided to go in for the traditional firewood-based crematorium as the electric furnace became outdated.