March 14: The `guesthouse culture' appears to be gaining ground in the posh residential pockets of the city, violating all the legal provisions. Even though the officials concerned term the mushrooming guesthouses in the residential colonies as illegal, the broad view is that the anomalous development could not take place without the connivance of the authorities.
According to a general estimate, there are more than 100 illegal guesthouses functioning in the private residential colonies of new Gurgaon city area alone. According to the Enforcement Wing of the District Town and Country Planning, notices have been issued to the owners of the properties, which are being used as guesthouses.
The department has categorised these guesthouses under "commercial activities", which cannot take place in residential colonies.
The residents of the private colonies, like the DLF and Sushant Lok, allege that when the authorities cannot stop the construction of these guesthouses, how can they ensure that the activities in these guesthouses are legal.
The Resident Welfare Association of DLF complained to the authorities recently about the increasing commercial activities in the residential areas. The residents feel that the guesthouses culture was damaging the concept of "community living in peace" and having adverse affect on the process of socialisation on the children.
The officials' modus operandi seems to be to first allow the construction of the guesthouses and then serve notices and allow the issue to be taken to the court. The general feeling is that this is just an excuse to keep up the facade of an administrative action.
The departmental officials then simply wash their hands of the issue on the ground that it is sub judice.
Source The Tribune dt 15-3-2005 by Ravi S. Singh
Illegal guesthouses dot residential colonies
