Even in death, there is no space in Mumbai. That is the grim reality in the so-called city of dreams, where four state-run hospital mortuaries are struggling to make space for the dead, as the bodies of those who have died are yet to be disposed of. Moreover, the accumulation of corpses is posing a risk to the staff members at these centres, as well as its equipment.

As many as 129 unclaimed dead bodies lie untouched at post-mortem centres in JJ, Cooper, Rajawadi and Bhagwati hospitals since January this year. Already short on staff since two years, these centres, which conduct over 54 post-mortems between them every day, are now struggling to make space for the daily inflow of dead bodies and maintain a workable environment. Sources blame the pile-up on the lax attitude of cops in disposing of the bodies.