Karnataka High Court orders inspection of Paying Guest accommodations to verify adherence to 10-point guidelines issued in 2024

The High Court of Karnataka has directed the Greater Bengaluru Authority to inspect the Paying Guest (PG) accommodations belonging to the members of the PG Accommodation Welfare Association, Bengaluru, to ascertain their claim that they have adhered to the 10-point guidelines for PGs issued in 2024.

Justice Suraj Govindaraj passed the interim order on the petitions filed by the association and some of the owners of a few individual PGs questioning the show cause notices issued to them by the civic body in March 2025 in relation to adherence to the guidelines.

As the advocate for the petitioner on February 12 told the court that the members of the association have implemented the 2024 guidelines, the court passed the interim order directing the jurisdictional medical officer, along with the jurisdictional additional director town planning, inspect each of the PG accommodations of the petitioners and the members of the association to ascertain the compliance of the guidelines.

Asking the civic authorities to commence the inspection from February 18 and complete it within two weeks, the court directed the authorities to examine whether the construction put up by the buildings housing PGs are in accordance with the sanctioned plan.

If no plan sanction was granted but construction was done in accordance with the applicable building by-laws in all regards, the authorities have to ascertain whether the use of the premises is permitted under the relevant zonal regulations, the court said.

The court also said that the petitioners and members of the association could participate during the inspection if they choose to do so or depute their respective representatives. However, if they do not participate or not co-operate with the inspection, they would not be entitled to any equitable consideration, the court made it clear while adjourning further hearing till March 16.

The 10-point guidelines include installation of CCTV surveillance, a minimum space of 70 sq. ft for each occupant, clean and hygienic washroom facilities, a source of potable drinking water, if the facility has its own mass kitchen, then it must obtain the FSSAI licence, at least one background-checked security guard, fire safety clearance, waste segregation and first aid facilities, and display emergency contact numbers of city police and civic authorities.