Illegal homestays around Hampi raided and shut down

BALLARI: The police, along with revenue and tourism department officials, conducted a joint raid on unauthorised homestays and restaurants that have mushroomed in Hampi region. The businesses were also forced to shut down.

Hundreds of unauthorised homestays and restaurants have come up in the Hampi and Kamalapur areas and are operating illegally without any license. Now, officials have locked up several such homestays and restaurants that have been running illegally and removed their boards.

The raid was conducted under the leadership of Vijayanagara SP Jahnavi. Tahsildar Shruthi and tourism department officials assisted.

“We had information about illegal homestays and restaurants and we have asked them to close down till they get proper permission. If they operate without licence in future, we will consider taking legal action against them. The tourism department will get NoCs from other departments and issue registration certificates. None of the places we visited today had such registration”, SP Jahnavi said.