Bengaluru: In a major enforcement drive aimed at improving safety and living standards in shared accommodations, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has shut down more than 300 paying guest (PG) accommodations across the city for violating civic rules and operating without mandatory permissions.
With Bengaluru witnessing a steady influx of working professionals and students from across Karnataka and other states, PG accommodations have emerged as the preferred housing option over independent rentals. However, civic authorities say a significant number of these facilities have been functioning in blatant violation of norms, triggering repeated complaints from residents and occupants alike.
Responding to growing concerns over safety, hygiene, and overcrowding, the BBMP recently introduced a 10-point guideline mandating PG operators to obtain civic licences, restrict operations to permitted roads, install CCTV cameras, maintain kitchen hygiene, and ensure basic safety infrastructure.
According to Vikas Kishore Suralkar, Special Commissioner, BBMP, over 2,000 PGs were issued notices across Bengaluru, directing them to comply with the new guidelines and obtain licences within the stipulated deadline.
“Despite repeated notices and adequate time, more than 300 PGs failed to comply, leaving the civic body with no option but to seal them,” he said.
Officials said the enforcement drive was triggered by multiple complaints ranging from poor sanitation and fire safety lapses to lack of surveillance systems and unauthorised conversions of residential buildings into PG facilities.
The BBMP has made it clear that inspections will continue and that only licensed, compliant PGs will be allowed to operate, warning operators against treating safety norms as optional.
The civic body has urged PG residents to verify whether their accommodation holds a valid BBMP licence and meets prescribed safety standards, as further closures are likely in the coming weeks.
Also Read: Late-Night PG Nuisance Triggers Civic Action: Bengaluru Central City Corporation Orders Crackdown on Illegal PGs
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