The steel city’s burning ghats are witnessing a manifold increase in bodies arriving for cremations in the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Over 40 bodies are being cremated at Subarnarekha Ghat in Bhuiyandih and Parvati Ghat in Jugsalai respectively.

In pre-Covid times, 10-12 bodies came for cremation daily at Subarnarekha ghat while the figure was 8-10 daily at Parvati ghat.

The increased number of cremations at both the crematoriums has put pressure on the management committee of these facilities. Moreover, people coming for the last rites have to wait for long to complete the formalities.

Subarnarekha Ghat has four electric furnaces. Besides Covid victims, normal cremation is also taking place. Apart from the furnaces, there are four platforms to cremate bodies on wood.

With the load of cremations going up at the Subarnarekha ghat, bodies are being cremated at a vacant space inside the ghat premises.

“Over 40 bodies, including ones who have died due to Covid, are coming for cremation. This has forced us to use the vacant space for cremating bodies. It’s a challenging task. The four electric furnaces are functioning round-the-clock,” a member of Subarnarekha Ghat management committee said.

At Parvati Ghat, with two electric furnaces, bodies are also cremated on two platforms by using wood.

“Over 40 bodies are cremated here. The load of cremating bodies has increased manifold. People have to wait for long hours for the last rites,” said Dipendra Bhatt, secretary of the ghat management committee.

“We have never seen cremations in such numbers. Bodies are coming for cremations one after another,” said ghat manager Vinod Tiwary.

“I came to Parvati ghat for the cremation of one of my relatives. We arrived at 9 am and waited till 8 pm to complete the formalities. Bodies are being waitlisted since the number of cremations has increased manifold,” said Rambalak Kumar, a resident of New Ranikudar.

Priyansh Prajapati, who had gone for cremation of one of his neighbours at Subarnarekha Ghat on Wednesday, said it was an agonising wait. “Though extra space is available but we had to wait for over five hours for our turn to come,” the Sakchi resident recalled.