Bengaluru East City Corporation sets up joint teams to inspect safety standards at PGs

Bengaluru: The Bengaluru East City Corporation has formed joint inspection teams to review safety and building compliance at paying guest (PG) establishments.

The teams, comprising officials from the health and town planning departments, have been directed to complete a citywide inspection within 15 days and submit a compliance report.

The directive was issued by Commissioner DS Ramesh during a review meeting on Friday. The move follows recent observations by the Karnataka High Court regarding public health and safety in shared accommodations.

"Officials have been directed to take immediate action against non-compliant establishments as per the applicable rules," Ramesh stated. He said public safety cannot be compromised for commercial gain.

Taking a tough stance on delayed infrastructure projects in Mahadevapura and KR Puram zones, the commissioner instructed officials to begin blacklisting contractors who have failed to execute development works despite being awarded tenders.

To ensure better road quality, engineering officials were told to prioritise civil and drainage works before asphalting. "Road levelling must be perfect before the final coat is laid," Ramesh noted. The corporation is also planning to develop software to track the real-time physical progress of all ongoing civil works.

Compliance check

The inspection teams will scrutinise PGs against a 10-point safety and hygiene protocol.

Key parameters include:

• Space & safety: A minimum of 70 sqft per occupant and a mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the fire department.

• Surveillance: CCTV systems must be operational with at least 90 days of data storage.

• Hygiene: Availability of safe drinking water, valid FSSAI certificates for kitchens, and strict adherence to waste segregation norms.

• Legality: Verification of whether buildings are constructed as per sanctioned plans and if they are located within the designated commercial zones.