Delay in Burial: Srinagar faces serious shortage of grave diggers
‘Our children not ready to take up this job due to social stigma’
By: Our Special Correspondent
Srinagar: A silent yet critical crisis is unfolding across Srinagar, as several localities face a growing shortage of grave diggers, threatening to overwhelm the city’s traditional burial system and delay funeral rites—especially in densely populated areas such as Downtown and other parts of Srinagar.
Local residents and graveyard caretakers report a steep decline in the number of active grave diggers. What was once a readily available service has now become increasingly difficult to access, with grieving families often waiting several hours—or in some cases until the next morning—to bury their deceased.
“Earlier, a grave could be dug within an hour of someone’s passing away. Now, we are forced to wait five to six hours or even overnight,” said Mohammad Yousuf, caretaker of the historic Malkha graveyard near Nowhatta.
“There are only two regular diggers left in our area, and both are growing old,” he said.
The situation is particularly alarming in light of Srinagar’s growing population and recurring mortality spikes, especially during winter and during health crises. The shortage of skilled grave diggers—referred to locally as ‘Qabr Khudnewale’—is being blamed on a mix of social stigma, poor pay, and lack of institutional support.
Grave digging, though essential, remains a socially marginalized and undervalued profession in the Valley. Most diggers earn between Rs 2,000 and Rs 2,500 per grave. However, many families—unaware of the standard rates—end up paying much more to middlemen. The work is physically demanding and largely done manually, without mechanized support or formal recognition from civic authorities.
“Nobody wants to be a grave digger anymore,” said 63-year-old Siraj-ud-Din Hafiz, one of the longest-serving diggers from Zadibal. “I’ve been doing this for over four decades, but I don’t see anyone from the younger generation stepping forward. We are shunned until the moment someone dies.”
Community leaders and civil society groups are now urging the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and the Jammu & Kashmir Waqf Board to treat grave digging as a formal civic service.
Proposed solutions include monthly stipends for active diggers, skill training for unemployed youth under government employment schemes, and public awareness campaigns to restore dignity to the profession.
“This is not just a service gap—it’s a humanitarian concern,” said Advocate Tariq Rather, a social activist from Srinagar. “Timely burial is a cultural and religious obligation. If emergency sanitation staff can be mobilized, why not ensure grave diggers are available too?”
An SMC official, speaking on condition of anonymity, admitted there is currently no dedicated policy for managing burial-related infrastructure or labor.
“We’ve relied entirely on local Mohalla committees and informal networks. Perhaps it’s time to rethink that approach.”
As Srinagar continues to expand and urban challenges grow, the shortage of grave diggers serves as a stark reminder of deeper municipal shortcomings—ones that become painfully visible during a family’s most vulnerable hour. Without urgent policy intervention, the city’s last responders will continue to bear the burden of neglect—one grave at a time.
