PG accommodations plan to issue ID cards to residents after new guidelines by police

BENGALURU: Paying guest accommodations in Bengaluru are going a step ahead to ensure safety of their residents. After the police issued new guidelines for PGs in order to enhance security, the PG owners’  association has proposed to implement an ID card system for the safety for the occupants and also in order to help the police when in need.

The police department has released new guidelines to prevent criminal activities in Bengaluru and to ensure the safety and security of PG inmates. Henceforth, ID cards are planned to be issued to PG residents and also to collect the phone numbers of family and friends.

Arun Kumar, president of the PG owners’ association, said, “We welcome the new guidelines as regards safety. We will implement the proposed plan after holding a meeting with the office-bearers and discussing its merits and demerits. If the PG residents have an ID card, we can recognise them easily. PG owners will decide on the renewal process. We will direct the residents to provide phone numbers of family members and friends who are living in the city”.

There are more than 25,000 registered PGs in the city. But, according to the BBMP, Bescom, and BWSSB, there are more than 50,000 PGs in the city. The PG owners’ association has decided to implement an ID card system and renew it periodically for the purpose of police investigation and the safety of the residents. The association will implement it after holding meetings with the office-bearers.

Some of the PG association members have expressed their displeasure over the guideline because the guidelines say that the PG owner will be directly held responsible if residents are involved in illegal activities. But the association hopes the ID card system will help in preventing crimes and ensuring the safety of residents.