Starting June 1, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will begin offering free cremations at all CNG and electric crematoria across the city, senior municipal officials said on Tuesday.
Officials said the civic body will compensate NGOs ₹500 per cremation if they conduct a CNG or electric based cremation, aiming to discourage wood based cremations and reduce air pollution. The project will initially run for two years and cam be extended based on responses.
A senior civic official associated with the project told HT that the list of NGOs who will oversee the functioning has been finalised and MoUs are being signed.
“In May, we will clear the payments and dues with the previous operators. The new NGOs will be making changes in the cremation grounds as per their requirements and the new regime will come into force from June,” the official said, adding that the civic body currently has CNG furnaces at nine locations.
The official added that the modern crematorium at Sarai Kale Khan and new facility in Rohini which will have three sections catering to Hindus, Muslims and Christians will also be functional from June.
Officials said last year the civic body floated an expression of interest, inviting NGOs, trusts, and self-help groups to adopt, develop, and maintain 33 major cremation grounds, burial grounds (Qabristan and cemeteries). These include complexes in places like Punjabi Bagh, Sarai Kale Khan, Rohini Sector 26, Dwarka Sector 24, Green Park, Basant Gaon, Ghazipur, Hastsal among others.
“This process is now in final stage and we have decided to implement policy change along with the handover to the NGOs,” official said.
Earlier on February 2026, the MCD house of councillors had approved the provision of providing free cremation facilities at CNG and electric crematoriums across the city. “In order to reduce smoke emission by burning of fuel wood for human cremation in Delhi, cremation using CNG/electric furnace must be encouraged,” the direction stated.
The proposal also stated that during 2023-25, only 8-9% of human bodies were cremated using CNG or electric furnaces, and that ₹1,500 is charged for cremations using a CNG furnace, while ₹500 is charged at electric crematoriums, per body.
According to the proposal, it would cost ₹2 crore per year to provide these services for free of cost. The MCD currently oversees 59 wood-based cremation grounds, nine CNG-based crematoriums, and one electric-based complex.The MCD official said that the Sarai Kale facility is completed and can be taken over.
“Some minor road repair work is pending and we will be adding a line to carry ganga water for rituals,” a second official said.
Located along the Yamuna floodplains, the facility is expected to reduce the load on the Nigam Bodh Ghat facility. It will be the fourth large crematorium in Delhi located on the riverbank.
