Two Locations Chosen for Pet Crematoriums in Delhi

Civic agencies have chosen two locations and are searching for a third to establish pet crematoriums in Delhi. This follows the opening of a similar facility in Dwarka earlier this year, according to a senior official with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

Of the two chosen sites, one is near the Mandoli prison complex and the other is near Sanjay Lake in Mayur Vihar Phase-1.

“Dwarka facility on public-private partnership has been successful in its initial phase and 150-200 dogs are being cremated here every month. Since the site is located on the outskirts of south west Delhi in sector 29 Dwarka, we are planning to add more such sites in different parts of the city. Process has been initiated for Mandoli and a second site in Mayur Vihar Phase-1,” the official. 

The official said the facilities will be built through a partnership between the public and private sectors.

Right now, there are about six private companies that offer pet cremation services. For a pet weighing 25 kg, a traditional pyre cremation costs between Rs 6,000 and Rs 7,000, while an electric cremation costs between Rs 9,000 and Rs 10,000. For pets weighing less than 15 kg, the cost is around Rs 5,000. For unclaimed dead animals, the city runs an animal rendering plant near the Ghazipur slaughterhouse.

The fees for the new facility will be set by the council when they give final approval. The charges will also depend on current fuel and operating costs. Since the last agreement was made, CNG prices have increased quickly.

A second official said that the public health department will give the plot near Sanjay Lake to the veterinary department. After that, the next steps to develop these two facilities will begin.

“We are also looking for a site in south Delhi, but land availability is the main problem. A 1,000 square metre (sqm) site is available near Tehkhand but the department has faced stiff resistance from residents in developing dog-related facility here,” 

Further, Sahib Sawhney, head of the NGO who is implementing the project said about pet crematorium in Dwarka “we are lifting the bodies of strays and cremating them free of cost. Eighty to ninety strays are cremated every month, alongside a similar number of private cremations. Pet parents are also opting for our other services, such as planting a tree in the memory of their pet. Despite being remotely located, response is gradually increasing. A more centrally located cremation facility will be even more popular.”

The crematorium has two CNG furnaces, one with a 200 kg capacity and the other with a 150 kg capacity. Together, they can handle 10 private pets and 15 small stray animals each day, with each cremation taking between 30 minutes and an hour. The cost for cremating a carcass that weighs more than 30 kg is Rs 3,000, while for lighter ones, it’s Rs 2,000.

“Cremations of dead stray dogs are carried out free of cost and private cremations are charged. The facility received (carcasses of) 78 pet dogs and 80 stray dogs in July. The numbers are likely to rise in coming months as it gets more popular,”