Haryana govt survey reveals only 50 of 2,200 guest houses registered in Gurugram

The survey, which began in July, was conducted by three teams of the department’s enforcement wing. DTCP officials said that they will submit a detailed report of the survey to the headquarters in Chandigarh by next week and seek further directions on this matter

The Haryana department of town and country planning (DTCP) on Tuesday said it has completed its survey of guesthouses in Gurugram and found 2,200 such establishments operational in the city, a majority of which are not regularised and operating without permission from the authorities.

DTCP officials privy to the matter said that there is a likelihood that the existing guest house policy will be amended by the state government in view of demands by guest house owners that the government remove the cap on area per sector for guest houses, which is 1.25 acre at present. (Representative image/HT Archive)

The survey, which began in July, was conducted by three teams of the department’s enforcement wing. DTCP officials said that they will submit a detailed report of the survey to the headquarters in Chandigarh by next week and seek further directions on this matter.

According to DTCP officials, a majority of the guest houses are not registered in the city as per the guest house policy of 2021, and are operating without permission from the authorities. “The survey has been conducted to know the actual number of such establishments and their location. The report will be sent to headquarters in Chandigarh for further directions and necessary action. We will also ask the guest house owners to get regularised as per the guest house policy,” said Amit Madholia, district town planner, enforcement.

Madholia said that survey has found that majority of these establishments are concentrated in few sectors and private colonies along Golf Course Road, Sohna road and around major hospitals and business and corporate centres in the city.

DTCP officials privy to the matter said that there is a likelihood that the existing guest house policy will be amended by the state government in view of demands by guest house owners that the government remove the cap on area per sector for guest houses, which is 1.25 acre at present.

According to the Millennium City Guest House Association, an umbrella body of guest house owners in the city, only 50 guest houses are registered in the city under the 2021 policy, and the current norms only allow 360 guest house rooms in a sector.

“The guest house policy needs to be amended as there is strong demand for guesthouses in the city. The cap on area per sector for guest houses, which is 1.25 acre at present, should be removed. Guest houses on roads upto 18 metres should be allowed. If the government relaxes the norms as these have been done in Delhi, 90% of these 2,200 guesthouses will get regularised,” said Sunil Bawa, vice president of the association.

Madholia said the survey has been done to ascertain the total number of guest houses in the city and bring them under the policy. “The entire exercise is to streamline this business and regulate it as per the policy,” he said.