INTRODUCTION
Bengaluru’s paying guest economy has quietly become the city’s biggest unregulated housing sector, and the Karnataka High Court has now stepped in with force. In an order dated September 10, 2026, Justice Suraj Govindaraj directed civic and law-enforcement authorities to overhaul how PG accommodations are identified, inspected and policed across the city. The order came after the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) disclosed that nearly half the PGs inspected in Bengaluru East were functioning without valid licences or fire clearances, a revelation the Court called too serious to leave unaddressed. What began as a set of writ petitions over trade-licence refusals has widened into a city-wide safety mandate touching thousands of residents.
BACKGROUND
The matter arose from petitions filed by the Paying Guest Owners Association and individual operators, including the owner of Mess Prince PG in Kattigenahalli near Yelahanka, challenging notices issued by the GBA (Greater Bengaluru Authority ) and refusals to grant trade licences for allegedly unauthorised establishments. During the hearing, advocate B S Karthikeyan, appearing for the GBA, told the Court that of roughly 5,000 PG accommodations operating in Bengaluru East, nearly 2,500 were running without proper licences, sanctioned building plans or adequate fire safety arrangements. Counsel for the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike added that notices had already gone out to 68 PGs in Bengaluru North. Justice Govindaraj observed that the sheer scale of the sector, and the number of students, employees and migrant workers who depend on it, made loose enforcement unacceptable. The Court was careful to note that lawful PGs serve a genuine housing need and that its directions were meant to regulate, not shut down, a legitimate industry.
KEY POINTS
- Authorities must identify every PG premises, licensed, unlicensed or expired, regardless of the name operators give the business.
- Trade licences cannot regularise buildings that violate sanctioned plans or permitted land use.
- Inspectors should check the real occupancy compared to the 70-square-feet-per-occupant norm, rather than take the operator’s word for it.
- Fire safety is of paramount concern, with fire suppression equipment, detectors for smoke, evacuation routes, stairways, and LPG arrangements included.
Inspect electrical systems, standardised panels, earthing and wiring for hazards that could cause shock or fire. - CCTV must be operational, footage stored and misuse penalised severely.
- Cameras are not allowed in bedrooms, bathrooms or any other private areas.
- Operators must ensure visitor verification, lighting and emergency communication for women and vulnerable residents.
- Harassment or assault complaints cannot be resolved only through internal PG mechanisms.
- A consolidated enforcement protocol is due before the Court within six weeks.
- GBA, BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike), the Fire Department, Health Department, Food Safety Department, police, BWSSB (Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board) and BESCOM (Bangalore Electricity Supply Company) must coordinate implementation.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
The Court’s order followed the GBA’s admission that enforcement so far has been patchy despite the scale of illegal construction and unsafe occupancy across PG clusters. Authorities said they would first issue notices and hear out the illegal PG operators, and only then move civil courts to shut down those that failed to comply. Justice Govindaraj rejected the idea that a trade licence alone could cure unauthorised construction, insisting that building compliance and licensing be assessed independently of each other. The judge also clarified that ownership of a building does not automatically translate into liability for an operator’s day-to-day violations, a distinction that could reshape how notices are drafted going forward. The matter has been listed for further hearing on September 28, when authorities are expected to report on early compliance steps, including risk-based inspection schedules for high-density zones like Bengaluru East.
CONCLUSION
This order signals a shift from reactive notices to a structured, monitorable framework for one of Bengaluru’s most under-regulated housing segments. By tying fire safety, occupancy limits, CCTV compliance and grievance redressal into a single enforceable protocol, the Karnataka High Court has placed the burden squarely on multiple agencies to act in coordination rather than isolation. The six-week deadline for a consolidated protocol, and the follow-up hearing scheduled later this month, suggest the Court intends close supervision rather than a one-time directive. For the thousands of students, employees and migrants who call these PGs home, the ruling offers the prospect of accommodation that is not just affordable, but demonstrably safer.
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WRITTEN BY: HARSHMEET KAUR SUDAN
