BBMP cracks down on unauthorised PGs, seals 21

Bengaluru: For the first time, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has sealed over 21 paying guest (PG) accommodations in the city for operating without necessary permissions.

In addition, the civic body has issued closure notices to 2,320 unauthorised PGs running without a licence, while scrutinising another 856 authorised PGs for failing to comply with the BBMP's safety guidelines.

The BBMP began taking action after a 24-year-old woman from Bihar was stabbed to death inside a PG in Koramangala in July.

The civic body’s latest survey has revealed that there are approximately 2,193 authorised PGs in the city. The survey, conducted by health officers, found 1,578 authorised PGs and 1,674 unauthorised ones were following the guidelines. Data shows that the BBMP’s East Zone has the highest number of unauthorised PGs, closely followed by Mahadevapura.

In response to the rapid growth of unregulated PGs, the BBMP recently established a set of guidelines, which include installing CCTV cameras at all entry and exit points with a 30-day data backup, ensuring a minimum space of 70 square feet per occupant to prevent overcrowding, and obtaining a Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) licence to operate a kitchen within the PG premises.

Additional requirements mandate that PGs provide clean drinking water, deploy at least one security guard on duty 24/7, and secure fire safety permissions from the appropriate authorities. They must also segregate waste, provide first aid kits, and display helpline numbers for both the BBMP and the police department.

Suralkar Vikas Kishore, Special Commissioner of the BBMP’s Health Department, stated that health officers are actively visiting both authorised and unauthorised PGs to assess their compliance. “Efforts are underway to shut down PGs that do not function properly,” he said in a press note.