KMC launches mobile AC mortuary van service, eases load on Peace World

Kolkata: In a major civic initiative aimed at easing distress for bereaved families, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has launched a mobile air-conditioned mortuary service that allows temporary preservation of bodies at home.

The service was formally inaugurated on Saturday at the Keoratala crematorium in Kalighat.

Until now, families in Kolkata had little choice but to rush to KMC’s Peace World facility in Topsia for preservation of bodies, especially when relatives living outside the city or abroad needed time to return. With the introduction of the mobile mortuary, KMC aims to provide a more accessible, humane and affordable alternative within the city limits.

Civic officials said the service has been designed keeping in mind the growing number of Kolkata families whose children or close relatives live outside the state or country due to professional commitments. In many cases, families prefer to wait a few days before performing the last rites. The new facility allows bodies to be preserved in a controlled, air-conditioned environment without having to transport them across the city.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Rashbehari MLA and KMC Mayor-in-Council (Parks) Debashis Kumar, Kolkata (South) Lok Sabha constituency’s MP and KMC chairperson Mala Roy, apart from other KMC officials and councillors. The mobile mortuary has been procured using funds from Kumar’s MLA discretionary quota. It costs Rs 37 lakh, approximately.

Speaking at the event, Kumar said the initiative was intended to reduce hardship for citizens at an emotionally difficult time. He added that while the service has begun with one vehicle, the number may be increased in future depending on public demand.

Earlier, short-term body preservation facilities were available at Bow Barracks and at Peace Haven on Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road. However, those facilities have remained non-operational for a long period, leaving Peace World in Topsia as the city’s only functional option. Civic officials acknowledged that this often caused logistical and financial strain for families.

KMC authorities expressed confidence that the mobile mortuary service would see steady demand, particularly because it is expected to be offered at a comparatively lower cost.