Gurgaon: Opposition to the DTCP’s proposed sealing and demolition drive against illegally operating PGs and guesthouses intensified on Thursday, with several operators and residents holding a protest march and mahapanchayat in DLF-3.DTCP is expected to resume the sealing and demolition drive from July 1. The enforcement team has already started distributing pamphlets asking occupants of PGs and guesthouses to vacate the premises by June 30. The protest comes amid the department’s ongoing action against unauthorised constructions and commercial activities in residential houses across DLF phases 1 to 5, following directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.During the mahapanchayat, participants unanimously resolved to submit a memorandum to Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini, Union minister Rao Inderjit Singh and industries minister Rao Narbir Singh, demanding a regularisation policy for PGs and guesthouses operating in licensed colonies. They urged the govt to legalise such establishments by charging a prescribed fee or penalty instead of sealing them.Former DLF RWA president Madan Lal Yadav said that if the govt could regularise unauthorised colonies, a practical policy should also be framed for PGs and guesthouses. “Operators are willing to pay the charges fixed by the govt. Thousands of working professionals from different states depend on these accommodations. Their sudden closure will create a major housing crisis,” he said.Resident Praveen Gupta questioned the department’s argument that PGs were responsible for putting pressure on civic infrastructure. “Several high-rise residential projects with hundreds of apartments are coming up in the area. It is unfair to hold only PGs and guesthouses responsible for infrastructure issues,” he said.Another resident, Ishwar Yadav, said thousands of employees working in Gurgaon companies rely on affordable PG accommodation and the govt currently has no alternative housing plan for them. He demanded that the sealing drive be put on hold until a clear policy is announced.Several residents and PG operators also expressed concern over the economic impact of the proposed action, stating that the move could adversely affect both property owners and thousands of tenants employed in the city’s corporate sector. They said many homeowners had converted their houses into PGs after investing substantial amounts to meet the growing demand for rental accommodation in Gurgaon, where a large migrant workforce depends on affordable housing near workplaces.Speakers at the mahapanchayat claimed that instead of initiating demolition and sealing drives, the govt should formulate comprehensive guidelines covering parking, fire safety, sanitation and occupancy norms to regulate such establishments. They maintained that enforcement should focus on ensuring compliance with safety and civic standards rather than shutting down operations altogether.The protesters also appealed to the authorities to initiate consultations with residents’ welfare associations, PG operators and industry representatives before taking any further action, saying a balanced policy would protect livelihoods while addressing urban planning concerns.
