Barari Cremation Ground Route Turns into 'Hell', Relatives Forced to Walk Through Mud and Filthy Water During Funeral Procession; Public Eye on Administrative Apathy
Bhagalpur, Chief Correspondent: The grief of losing a loved one is the greatest pain in the world, but when relatives are forced to wade through knee-deep mud and dirty water while participating in the final journey of that very dear person, the pain stings even deeper. A poignant and heart-wrenching picture is emerging from Bihar's Bhagalpur district, where the hellish conditions prevailing on the city's prominent Barari Cremation Ground route (especially near the BIADA turning) have exposed the hollow state of civic administration. This route is proving to be nothing short of a torture chamber for relatives bearing the bier of someone embarking on their final journey.
Road Condition Near BIADA Turning Extremely Deplorable, Turned into a Quagmire
The problem of waterlogging and mud on the main route leading to the Barari Cremation Ground in Bhagalpur is turning into a festering sore. The situation is such that a large stretch right in the middle of the road near the BIADA turning has remained submerged in dirty water for a long time.
Lack of Drainage: Due to the absence of robust local drainage arrangements, rainwater or surrounding wastewater collects and stagnates on this very road.
Transformed into a Quagmire: When the water partially dries up, it turns into sticky, deep, mud-like slush all around the road. Navigating this muddy stretch with two-wheelers, four-wheelers, and even hearse vans (ambulances) has become extremely risky. Vehicle drivers are forced to cross this hellish path while somehow managing to maintain their balance.
The Agony of Relatives Attending the Final Journey
When people pass through this route carrying the mortal remains of their kin for a sacred and sensitive ritual like a cremation, their eyes brim with tears—not just from the grief of parting with a loved one, but also cursing the system.
Local citizens and bereaved relatives participating in the funeral procession expressed their agony, stating that on one hand, they are engulfed in the deep shock of losing someone, while on the other hand, this dilapidated and muddy path leading to the cremation ground magnifies their mental torment manifold. The clothes of people walking in the funeral procession clad in white get splattered with mud. Frequently, elderly individuals and women lose their balance and slip into this dirty water and mud, sustaining injuries.
Barari Cremation Ground Route Becoming a Hub of Mismanagement
This is not a problem of just a single day or light rain; the wretched condition of the Barari Cremation Ground route has been a matter of discussion for a long time. People from all parts of the city reach this very ghat for the final rites of their relatives, but the basic amenities here tell a tale of administrative insensitivity.
Arbitrariness of Vehicle Drivers: Due to massive potholes and mud on the road, auto and other vehicle drivers shy away from coming onto this route. If anyone does come, they extract exorbitant fares from the grief-stricken relatives.
Even Walking Has Become Impossible: People who traditionally walk barefoot alongside the bier of their loved one all the way to the cremation ground face immense hardships walking on this mud-filled path.
Administrative Assurances and Hope for a Solution
Following the hellish conditions prevalent on this route and reports in the media, the local administration and municipal corporation have stirred slightly from their slumber. According to information emerging from administrative corridors, the municipal corporation has intensified deliberations for a permanent solution to this problem. Officials state that plans for constructing a drain and paving the road are being considered to rid people of waterlogging issues on the cremation ground route so that they do not have to face such inhumane circumstances in the future.
The hallmark of any civilized society is reflected in how respectfully it bids farewell not only to its living citizens but also to its dead. The mud and dirty water spread across the Barari Cremation Ground route in Bhagalpur do not merely represent the poor condition of a road, but rather the apathy of the system. The need of the hour is to rise above hollow assurances and take prompt action on the ground, ensuring that everyone embarking on a final journey is at least provided with a dignified path.
