The Ahmedabad Police and Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) have launched a citywide verification and safety drive at paying guest (PG) accommodations following the five-storey building collapse in Delhi that has claimed seven lives.The move comes amid concerns over the safety of students and professionals living in PG facilities and the need to ensure that authorities have accurate details of residents.
Police to Verify PG Residents
The Delhi incident also highlighted difficulties faced by authorities in identifying students and other residents staying in the collapsed building. In response, Ahmedabad Police have directed every police station to visit PG accommodations in its jurisdiction and verify the identities and details of residents.Ahmedabad Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gahlaut told that the police will also deploy SHE teams to check whether students living in PGs are facing any difficulties.“We will also send our SHE teams to the location and try to figure out whether the students are facing any difficulties,” Gahlaut said.He added that the police are coordinating with AMC officials, including the Fire Department, to examine safety arrangements at PG accommodations.
AMC Survey Found 401 PG Units
An AMC survey conducted in September 2025 identified 401 PG units within the civic body’s limits. Of these, 399 were located in the West Zone, covering areas such as Bopal, Thaltej, Vastrapur, Satellite, Ghatlodia, SG Highway, Ghuma, Gota, Chandlodia, Jagatpur, Chandkheda, Navrangpura and Bodakdev. Only two PG units were identified in the East Zone.Of the 401 units surveyed, 385 were served notices for allegedly operating without society NOCs and police verification. They were directed to obtain the required NOCs, complete police verification and comply with fire-safety and parking norms within 30 days, failing which sealing action could follow.Eight PGs had already shut by the time of inspection, while only around 16 were found to be compliant.
Enforcement Against Illegal PGs
The AMC has already taken action against some unauthorised PGs. In December 2025, 11 tenements in a row-house scheme in Thaltej were sealed for allegedly being operated as PGs without permission.More than 25 illegal PG units were also sealed in residential societies during 2025-26.However, the actual number of people living in PG accommodations in Ahmedabad is believed to be much higher. Industry estimates suggest that around 80,000 students and professionals live in PGs across the city, with more than 4,000 providers operating in the sector.Officials said the AMC survey may have primarily covered larger and more organised PG facilities, while smaller arrangements operating from individual houses may not have been captured.
No Separate PG Category Under Current Rules
AMC officials pointed out that paying guest accommodations do not have a separate category under the Comprehensive General Development Control Regulations (CGDCR).As a result, such establishments are currently regulated under provisions related to hostels or lodging facilities. There is also no dedicated PG registration number or online registration portal for these establishments.The latest verification drive is expected to focus on identifying PG residents, checking safety arrangements and ensuring that operators comply with existing civic and police