Nearly a year after its inauguration, Tambaram City Corporation’s gasifier crematorium in Lakshmipuram, Chromepet, remains unopened for public use.

Residents and activists allege that the authorities have cited the need to conduct a trial run using an unclaimed body before commencing operations, resulting in the delay.

V. Santhanam, senior activist and founder of the People’s Awareness Association, who has submitted multiple representations urging the Corporation to operationalise the facility, said the crematorium would benefit residents of Lakshmipuram as well as neighbouring localities such as Nagappa Nagar, New Colony and Umayalpuram.

“Most unclaimed bodies are handled by non-governmental organisations. To avoid further delay, I wrote to senior doctors at government hospitals requesting that such bodies be handed over to the crematorium after completing the required police formalities,” Santhanam said.

A senior Corporation official said the ₹2.5-crore gasifier crematorium, located in Ward 30 of Zone 1, was taken up during 2024-25 and was completed and handed over by the contractor in mid-February 2026. The site had earlier functioned as an open-air crematorium.

“There was already a temple dedicated to Harichandra and a water tank on the premises. The facility had to be designed without disturbing these structures,” the official said.

The official added that maintenance of such crematoria is generally entrusted to a trust after due verification and in accordance with government norms. Since local residents had expressed interest in maintaining the facility, the Corporation waited for them to constitute a trust, leading to the delay. As no trust was formed in accordance with the prescribed guidelines, the maintenance has now been entrusted to M.H.T. Engineering, which has experience in operating such facilities.

“However, if local residents form a trust that satisfies the prescribed norms, the Corporation is willing to hand over the maintenance to them,” the official said.

Responding to the allegation, the official said the trial run had already been completed and that a permanent name board with details of the facility would be installed within a few days.

“Not only residents of Lakshmipuram, but people from neighbouring areas can also use the crematorium after submitting the required documents to the Corporation,” the official said.

Residents and activists have urged the Corporation to throw open the facility for public use at the earliest and install clear signboards and contact details for the benefit of the public.

Published - August 10, 2026 10:13 am IST