Karnataka High Court warns Bengaluru PG operators over safety violations

The Karnataka High Court has warned that non-compliant paying guest (PG) accommodations in Bengaluru face potential sealing due to serious safety and statutory violations. Justice Suraj Govindaraj noted that while the court has exercised restraint to avoid causing hardship to the thousands of students and employees who rely on these facilities, operators must rectify defects immediately.

The Greater Bengaluru Authority reported that approximately 50% of PG accommodations are allegedly illegal, unauthorized, or non-compliant. The court has granted petitioners one week to submit an affidavit outlining a timeline for compliance with safety guidelines issued in September.

In a related incident in Yelahanka, a 19-year-old student was hospitalized in intensive care after falling from the fourth-floor terrace of a PG facility. The student's father has filed a police complaint alleging negligence, claiming the establishment lacked adequate safety grills or protective barriers on the terrace.