Kathmandu, January 23 The Pashupati Area Development Trust will be launching the operation of electric crematorium building constructed on the premises of the Pashupati Aryaghat area tomorrow. Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Ananda Prasad Pokharel, who is also the chairperson of the PADT, is set to inaugurate the two electric cremation machines installed in the building by cremating as many bodies kept in freeze of the forensic department of TU Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj. PADT member secretary Govinda Tandon said both of the machines installed in the first phase of the programme will officially come into operation as part of hi-tech project of the government. Though the idea of installing electric crematorium was conceived in 1982, it took nearly 34 years to implement the project. According to the PADT, it takes 3-4 hours to cremate a body on a traditional funeral pyre but the electric cremation machine can reduce the body to ashes within 45 minutes. It is eco-friendly and prevents environment from being polluted. Despite the operation of the electric crematorium, kin of the deceased may also opt for traditional wooden crematorium. The hi-tech system is also cost-effective. “It costs around Rs 10,000 to cremate a body in traditional funeral pyre compared to Rs 3,000 in the electric crematorium,” informed the PADT officials. The PADT is also preparing to install a third electric cremation machine. The two electric cremation machines were installed with a budget of Rs 110 million. The electric cremation machines were brought from the Indomen Engineering Service in Kolkata, India. Engineers from the company had fixed the machines. An agreement has also been reached with Nepal Electricity Authority for electricity supply to the crematorium round-the clock. The Pashupati Aryaghat witnesses around 20 bodies being brought there for cremation on a daily basis.