Chandigarh: Three months after the Chandigarh Administration opened the door for Bed & Breakfast (BnB) establishments in large residential houses, its new policy has drawn a complete blank — the Tourism Department, the designated nodal agency, has not received a single application for registration.Yet, B&B accommodation is hardly absent from Chandigarh. Several online travel and accommodation platforms list properties in the city, including residential houses in sectors and villages, raising questions over whether the new policy has actually brought the existing B&B trade under regulation.The policy, notified in June, permits residential houses on plots of at least 500 square yards to operate as B&Bs, subject to registration with the Tourism Department and mandatory permissions and NOCs. Only property owners can apply.The administration had promoted the policy as a way to offer tourists affordable and authentic accommodation while providing homeowners an additional source of income. But the absence of even a single registration raises questions about whether property owners are unwilling to comply with the policy or whether the administration has failed to identify and regulate an existing trade.B&Bs already being offered onlineA search across accommodation websites shows properties being offered to tourists, ranging from individual rooms to entire bungalows. One listing advertises a property with 4,500 sq ft of green open space, a bedroom with attached toilet, kitchen and sit-out, describing it as centrally located near Chandigarh’s tourist attractions.Another listing for a B&B in Sector 10 promotes a gated bungalow in a “peaceful residential neighbourhood”, highlighting its garden and proximity to the city centre.Some platforms provide details of hosts, facilities, rates and locations, while others conceal the exact address and personal information.Chandigarh had introduced a B&B scheme in 2008 but withdrew it a year later following widespread violations. Several homeowners allegedly converted residential houses into mini-hotels or commercial guest houses, prompting the administration to scrap the scheme.BOX: KEY CONDITIONSMinimum plot size: 500 sq yardsTourism Department registration mandatoryOnly owner(s) can applyMandatory permissions and NOCs requiredCompliance with all prescribed B&B conditionsTHE CHALLENGE: The administration now faces a basic challenge: if B&Bs are already being advertised and booked online, why has not a single property owner sought registration under the new policy?
