Guwahati: Illegal Homestays Thriving in City

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The mushrooming of unregulated homestays and guesthouses in Guwahati has sparked deep concerns among residents, who fear the rise of sex and drug rackets operating under the guise of “couple-friendly” stays. Citizens allege that the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) has become a facilitator of this menace by issuing trade licenses online without physical verification, allowing commercial lodgings to flourish inside residential societies.

One such case has drawn sharp attention at Surva Laxmi Apartment, Rajgarh Link Road, where a flat was converted into a commercial lodging under the name The Bloomingvine Rajgarh. Despite being a residential property, it openly promoted itself on platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com, and Goibibo, offering hourly bookings and late-night party facilities. Families in the locality say the operations have repeatedly disturbed peace and raised questions of safety.

Saswati Bose, a resident of the apartment, alleged that the license for The Bloomingvine was obtained using a dubious No Objection Certificate (NOC) from a Residents’ Welfare Society formed by absentee owners. “The GMC granted the license without any physical site inspection. Even after my complaint led to its revocation in April 2025, the same license was quietly reissued to the same entity at the same address,” she said.

On June 11, Bose filed another complaint after discovering the homestay was still operating. However, no action has been taken so far. “This negligence by both GMC and the police raises suspicion about their nexus with the operators,” she added.

Residents and urban experts warn that this is not an isolated case. Across Guwahati, residential flats are being converted into homestays and lodges, often running largely on cash transactions that bypass tax scrutiny and regulatory oversight. The unchecked trend, they say, undermines urban governance and puts neighbourhood safety at risk.

Locals argue that GMC’s inaction, despite having revoked the license once, has emboldened violators. “The message is clear: you can break the law with impunity in Guwahati, because the authorities neither have the will nor the mechanism to stop you,” Bose alleged.

With mounting frustration among citizens, demands are growing for urgent municipal reforms, stricter enforcement, and greater transparency in trade license approvals. Until then, many residents fear they are left vulnerable to the consequences of an administration “asleep at the wheel,” while illegal homestays thrive unchecked.

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