Ghaziabad: As the number of deaths from Covid go up, the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation (GMC) is turning to technology for help in the issuing of death certificates. Those looking to get a death certificate can now drop the relevant documentation at the drop-box put up in five zonal offices of the GMC. The Corporation says the death certificate will be ready to be downloaded in 10 days.
The move is expected to benefit especially those whose relatives or kin have died at home. At present, getting a death certificate is cumbersome as one has to visit the GMC office and submit all the documents, after which getting the certificate takes several trips back to the office, which is also working at reduced strength.

Patel Nager resident Ankit Agarwal, whose relative passed away recently due to Covid, said, “In the last week of April, I visited the GMC office at Navyug Market at least thrice, and it was only in the last visit that I was told it would take time as there was inadequate workforce. I am yet to get the death certificate.” He added, “I need the death certificate urgently to process insurance related documents, but I guess I will have to wait.”

Municipal health officer Mithilesh Kumar said, “The online service was available earlier also but that was not used very often. But since last month, more people are seeking death certificates through the online system, so we had to ramp up our portal.” According to Kumar, for deaths that happen in registered private hospitals, the hospital has access to the portal to directly upload documents and after verifying them, the GMC issues death certificates within 24 hours. “The soft copy is generated, and the hospital management delivers a death certificate directly to the relative of the deceased,” Kumar added. Individuals though had to visit the GMC office at Navyug Market along with relevant documents such as a receipt issued at the time of cremation and after a few days, a hard copy of the death certificate was handed over.

However, now all zonal offices of the GMC will accept the documents for a death certificate, and after verification, the death certificate will be generated online. “One can access it by entering an OTP sent to the beneficiary’s mobile number. This way the beneficiary will not have to come to the GMC office to physically collect the certificate,” added Kumar. The official said the process would not take more than 10 days.

When asked about details on how many people have applied for death certificates in the past one month, Kumar said “We are still in the process of compiling the data and it is taking time because of the depleted workforce.”

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