The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has taken strict action against illegal paying guest (PG) accommodations, sealing eleven tenements in the upscale Soham Row Houses society located in the Thaltej area. The civic body acted after the operators repeatedly failed to obtain the mandatory permissions required to run such commercial establishments.
Operation and Sealing Drive Details
The sealing drive was carried out by the Estate Town Development Officer (TDO) department of the AMC's North West Zone over two consecutive days. On December 3, officials sealed three tenements, followed by eight more on December 4. This action came after the civic body had issued prior notices to these units, urging them to secure the necessary No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from the police and the housing society, which they failed to do.
This crackdown is part of a larger city-wide operation initiated by the AMC. The drive gained momentum after the issue was raised in a coordination committee meeting of MPs and MLAs chaired by the Ahmedabad municipal commissioner. During this meeting, a BJP Rajya Sabha MP strongly advocated for legal action against PG accommodations operating outside the legal framework.
City-Wide Investigation and Findings
Following the directive, the AMC launched a comprehensive survey to identify illegal PG units across Ahmedabad. The findings were revealing. A total of 401 PG units were identified in the city. Out of these, a staggering 385 units were found to be operating without the crucial police and society NOCs. Notices were promptly issued to all these violators, ordering them to obtain and submit the required documents within a stipulated deadline, failing which sealing action would follow.
A civic official provided a zonal breakdown of the investigation conducted in September. "In the investigation, 399 PG units were functional in the western part of the city, while only two were running in the eastern part," the official stated. Notices were served to both units in the east and 383 in the west. The official clarified that the focus was primarily on large, professionalized PG setups rather than small-scale operations. "Primarily, notices were given to large and professional PG units... This included PGs operating in large bungalows or those renting out more than one flat," he explained.
Future Actions and Implications
The AMC has made it clear that the sealing action in Thaltej is not an isolated incident but a warning to all illegal operators. The civic body has announced that in the coming days, it will extend the sealing drive to PG units operating within other housing societies across Ahmedabad if they continue to function without the requisite permissions.
This move underscores the AMC's commitment to enforcing urban planning norms and ensuring that commercial activities within residential zones adhere to regulations. It also highlights the growing scrutiny on the largely unorganized PG accommodation sector in major Indian cities, where safety, security, and civic infrastructure are major concerns for authorities and residents alike.
