Cremation in Delhi NCR: Electric, CNG or Wood, and Where to Go

What types of cremation are available in Delhi?

Delhi NCR crematoria offer three types: an open wood pyre, a CNG furnace and an electric furnace. Some grounds have all three. Most have wood pyres and one of the furnaces.

• Wood pyre: the traditional form, with mukhagni and kapal kriya. A single open-air cremation uses roughly 350 to 450 kg of wood, and takes a few hours.
• Improved wood pyres: some grounds, such as Lodhi Road, use a raised, covered design (often called Mokshda) that they say cuts wood use substantially.
• CNG furnace: a closed chamber fired by compressed natural gas. No firewood is used, and it is usually quicker than a pyre.
• Electric furnace: a closed chamber heated electrically. It works much like a CNG furnace.

At a CNG or electric furnace, the rites before cremation stay the same. The priest performs the puja, and the chief mourner gives a symbolic mukhagni before the body enters the chamber. There is no open pyre, so there is no kapal kriya. For the full sequence, see the Hindu antim sanskar guide.

Is CNG and electric cremation free in Delhi?

Yes, at MCD crematoria, for now. The MCD House approved free CNG and electric cremation as a two-year pilot in February 2026, and it began on 1 June 2026. Wood cremation is not part of the scheme.

The aim is to reduce smoke during Delhi's long spells of poor air. Before the pilot, MCD charged about ₹1,500 for a CNG cremation and ₹500 for an electric one. Only 8–9% of cremations in 2023–25 used these furnaces. Many crematoria are run day to day by voluntary organisations, which MCD pays per cremation to maintain the furnaces.

Which are the main CNG and electric crematoria in Delhi NCR?

MCD's nine CNG crematoria are at Sarai Kale Khan, Rohini Sector 26 (Kaivalya Dham), Dwarka Sector 24, Green Park, Karkardooma, Ghazipur, Subhash Nagar, Punjabi Bagh and Hastsal. Several well-known grounds also have electric furnaces.

• Nigambodh Ghat, on the Yamuna behind the Red Fort: Delhi's oldest and busiest cremation ground. It has wood pyres, CNG furnaces added in the 2000s and an older electric crematorium. Ask on arrival which furnaces are working that day.
• Lodhi Road crematorium, run by Arya Samaj Lodhi Road (Dayanand Mukti Dham): electric cremation and improved wood pyres, a prayer hall and asthi lockers. It lists hours of 7 am to 7 pm.
• Punjabi Bagh crematorium, West Delhi: CNG furnaces and wood pyres. It is on MCD's CNG list.
• Sarai Kale Khan: MCD reported in May 2026 a newly built crematorium with one CNG furnace, two electric furnaces and 22 pyres. Check that it is open before you go.
• Antim Niwas, Sector 94, Noida: on Noida Authority land and managed by Noida Lok Manch. It offers CNG and wood cremation and lists hours of 7 am to 6 pm.

Gurugram, Ghaziabad and Faridabad have their own municipal and community-run grounds. We have not listed them here because furnace availability changes. Ask locally whether a furnace is installed and working. See our local pages, such as funeral services in Noida and Ghaziabad.

What happens at an electric or CNG cremation in Delhi?

An electric or CNG cremation in Delhi follows the same opening rites as a wood cremation. Only the last step, the burning itself, happens inside a closed chamber.

1. On arrival, the family registers at the office and waits for the furnace to be ready.
2. Your loved one is placed on a platform near the furnace, where the priest leads the puja, the offerings of ghee and sesame, and the prayers.
3. The chief mourner gives a symbolic mukhagni, as the priest directs.
4. Staff move the body into the chamber and close it. Families usually wait nearby or step outside.
5. When the cremation is complete and the chamber has cooled, staff hand over the ashes, or tell the family when to return for them.

It is quieter and more contained than an open pyre, which some families find easier to bear. Others miss the openness of the pyre. Both feelings are natural.

What documents do you need for cremation in Delhi NCR?

Most grounds ask for the death certificate issued by the doctor or hospital and a government ID of the one who has died. Some also ask for the ID and phone number of the family member registering the cremation.

• Doctor's or hospital death certificate, or the medical certificate of cause of death.
• Government photo ID of the one who has died, such as Aadhaar or voter ID.
• ID proof, phone number and address of the family member signing for the cremation.
• If the police or a post-mortem were involved, the papers released with your loved one. See the post-mortem process.

After the cremation the ground issues a cremation slip or receipt. Keep it safe. In Delhi it is accepted as proof of death for registering the death, which should be done within 21 days. See getting a death certificate in Delhi NCR.

How do you book a cremation slot?

Call the ground before you leave home. Tell them the type of cremation you want, an approximate time and how many people are coming, and confirm the documents they need.

• MCD has said families can check furnace availability on its portal. If you cannot find it, call the ground directly.
• Furnaces work in turns, so a CNG or electric slot may mean a short wait. Wood pyres depend on platform space and daylight hours.
• Busy grounds such as Nigambodh Ghat can have queues on some days. A nearby ground may be quicker.
• Book only through the ground itself or an official government portal. Fake booking links have been reported in other cities.

Should we choose CNG, electric or wood?

There is no wrong choice. Many families choose wood for tradition. Others choose CNG or electric for speed, for cleaner air, or because the one they have lost wished it.

• Tradition: some families feel strongly about the open pyre and kapal kriya. Ask the elders and the priest.
• Time: furnaces usually return the ashes sooner, which helps if family must travel.
• Environment: the National Green Tribunal has asked states to explore electric and gas crematoria alongside wood, because open pyres add to air pollution.
• Cost: in Delhi, CNG and electric cremations at MCD grounds are free under the 2026 pilot. Wood costs vary by ground and by the amount used.

Whatever you choose, the asthi visarjan and later rites remain the same.