Locals oppose Kapurthala MC’s move to block access to cremation ground

A large number of local residents gathered on Sunday to protest the Municipal Corporation’s decision to close the main gate leading to the Mansoorwal Dona cremation ground. The move has drawn sharp criticism from community members, who called it insensitive and impractical.

Organised by the Shamshan Ghat Sudhar Society, the protest saw participation from residents of nearly 20 nearby colonies. Society president Paramjit Singh Doaba and general secretary Amrik Singh Dhillon led the gathering at the cremation ground to voice their opposition. Later, the group met Congress MLA Rana Gurjit Singh to seek his intervention.

The society’s office-bearers stated that the cremation ground has been in continuous use for over 80 years. Maintained through community support, it has long served as a vital facility for conducting last rites. The Municipal Corporation, however, is now attempting to block access from the Jalandhar-Kapurthala main road, citing disruptions to nearby commercial activity as the reason.

Residents argue that the cremation ground holds deep religious and emotional significance and say that closing its primary access point is both unjust and unnecessary. They are calling on officials to explore alternative solutions that do not disrupt such a crucial and historic community service.

In response to the growing outrage, MLA Rana Gurjit Singh spoke with Deputy Commissioner Amit Kumar Panchal over the phone and urged him to ensure the cremation ground remains accessible. A formal memorandum was also submitted to the DC by community representatives, supported by local councillors and civil society leaders.

Among those present at the meeting were Deputy Mayor Vinod Sood, Advocate Anuj Anand, JP Arora, Surinder Singh, Harjit Singh Babba, Navjot Singh Walia (all councillors), as well as Bihari Lal Bhardwaj, Bhajan Singh Rangila, Darshan Singh Parmar, Sanjay Sharma and Prof Gurdeep Singh.

Residents have vowed to continue their protests until the original access to the cremation ground is fully and permanently restored.