Bettiah: The people of Bettiah will soon get six new cremation sites, known locally as Muktidhams, to make funeral rituals more convenient. The decision was announced by mayor Garima Devi Sikariya of the Bettiah municipal corporation, who said that improving basic facilities in the city is a top priority for the administration.
Each Muktidham will be built in a different ward of the city, with costs ranging between Rs 14 and 15 lakh. The money has been allocated under the sixth finance commission of the government. Officials said that once completed, the sites will make it easier for residents to carry out the last rites of their loved ones with dignity and proper arrangements.
Construction orders have already been issued for the six wards. In ward 33, a cremation site will be developed near the power grid at a cost of Rs 13.95 lakh. In ward 43’s Rani Pakri area, near Gulriya Mai Sthan, and in ward 38’s Barwat Lachhu, projects worth Rs 14.41 lakh each have been sanctioned. Another Muktidham will be built on public land along Mainatand road in ward 27 at a cost of Rs 14.87 lakh. Two more will come up near the OP police station in Banuchhappar, ward 28, and in Yadav Tola of ward 29, both with an allocation of Rs 14.41 lakh.
Bettiah has already seen work on several cremation facilities in recent years. Crematoriums have been completed near Toofani Ghat, covering wards 2, 36 and 37. In addition, projects are under way at Santghat Muktidham and at Jagadambanagar, where an ultra-modern electric crematorium is being built. Mayor Sikariya said these initiatives are meant to provide families with more accessible and respectful spaces for final rituals, while easing the pressure on older cremation grounds.
