Crematorium construction begins in Urlabari

By Hari Prasad Koirala,Urlabari, Oct. 11: Construction of the long-awaited pride project of Urlabari Municipality in Koshi Province has commenced this year.  For five consecutive years, the municipality had been working on the construction of a crematorium. 

Due to the increase in population and urbanisation, there has been a need for a proper crematorium in the municipality.  Former Mayor Khadga Bahadur Fago had proposed the construction of a crematorium as the pride project. Since the land designated for the crematorium was not handed over by the land providers, it took almost five years to start the pride project.

The municipality had initially planned to build the crematorium on the bank of the Bakraha Khola in Urlabari-4 in 2017. However, due to a lack of a Detailed Project Report and difficulties in acquiring the land, the budget of Rs. 10 million allocated for the construction of the crematorium had frozen in the past. 

The project proposed by the former mayor was also included in the municipality's programmes and policies last year.  Now, the project is in progress, and it is supposed to be completed by December 16, 2023.

Former Mayor Fago had proposed for the construction of the crematorium that would last for 100 years consisting of seven general and three electrical cremation centres, a place for mourning, a garden with religious plants and a sufficient parking space. 

The municipality has allocated a budget of Rs. 7 million for the construction of the crematorium this year. Meanwhile, 35 locals had provided four bighas of land for it.

The municipality has assigned the construction contract to Dronika Construction for Rs. 6.3 million. Binod Dahal, the coordinator of the Land Management Committee, said that the crematorium was being constructed on the four bighas of land located 300 metres north of the East-West Highway in the presence of the municipal team and land providers.