Bengaluru 6 May

Following a spate of complaints and viral videos depicting inappropriate behaviour by residents in paying guest (PG) accommodations, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has launched a city-wide crackdown on unauthorised PG facilities. The move comes after a particularly disturbing incident in HSR Layout, where locals expressed outrage over a video of a young woman running nude in a residential area, reportedly from a PG home.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, BBMP Special Commissioner Vikas Kishore Suralkar said the civic body has taken the issue seriously, especially considering the embarrassment caused to surrounding residents by the conduct in and around such accomodations. "These unauthorised PGs are mushrooming unchecked and creating severe public nuisance. We have received numerous complaints, and action is now being taken," he said.
Suralkar revealed that the BBMP has so far identified over 1,200 illegal PG accommodations operating without proper clearances across Bengaluru. Of these, 200 PGs have already been shut down by the health department officials of the civic body. A revised set of guidelines for PG operations has been framed, focusing on ensuring better oversight and accountability of operators.