As The Dead 'Rides' Bike, Promised Hearse Vans Rot In Mud In Madhya Pradesh

In a muddy field in Bhopal's Misrod, over 150 gleaming hearse vans lie rusting under the sun and rain. Announced three months ago under the 'Shav Vahan Yojana' to ensure dignified last rites for the poor, not one hearse has hit the road yet. Training is done and tenders cleared, but all wait for a grand political launch.

The impact was felt just 10 days ago in Sironj, Vidisha district. After heavy rain that left the roads submerged, the lifeless body of a 15-year-old boy was tied to the rear seat of a motorcycle. The family had begged the Rajiv Gandhi government hospital in the town for a hearse van. "At least help us take our son home," they had pleaded. But the answer was blunt and cruel, "There is none."

As a last resort, the father tied his child's body onto his motorbike and rode through the rain; the boy's mother walked silently behind, soaked in rain and sorrow.

Earlier in March, in Maihar, another horrifying case surfaced. Police officials had carried a man's corpse in a garbage truck to the hospital. Symbolically, it translated to a human being reduced to mere waste. Outrage followed, and questions were raised, but as often is the case, the system didn't respond.

These incidents reflect the daily struggles with public healthcare in Madhya Pradesh. Instances of dead bodies being carried on shoulders, loaded onto wooden carts, tied to motorcycles, or wrapped in cloth sacks have been frequently reported.

This is exactly what the 'Shav Vahan Yojana' was meant to fix.

In April, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced the purchase of high-tech hearse vans under the Mukti Vahan scheme. They were to be deployed in every district and medical college. Families could call a toll-free helpline (1080) and get a van, round the clock. Each vehicle was fitted with a fumigation machine, stretcher, fire extinguisher, fans, and even transparent windows to allow final farewells with dignity.

Fast forward to July, and the vans remained grounded.

In Misrod, some of these vehicles are now stuck in mud, others rusting, wheels sinking deeper every day. Government sources admit that everything has been done - training, procurement, operations. Then what's pending? A "grand political launch," likely at a big event, with a big name, and even bigger headlines.

The state government increased its health budget by 8.78% this year. Vehicles were bought, plans drawn, and training completed. Yet the rollout is stuck. Not for want of resources but for want of optics.

Congress MLA Arif Masood said bluntly, "This government only moves when there's an event. Until there's an event, even hearse vans don't move. It's shameful." "It is the government's duty to ensure the poor get a hearse when they need it. Delays like this insult the dignity of the dead," Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar added.

"There's no plan for a formal inauguration. We're trying to start the service as soon as possible," Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla responded.

And that leaves a brutal question waiting to be answered: How long must the dead keep waiting for a government to act?