PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE /Dehradun
The Dehradun district administration has cancelled the registrations of 103 homestays in the district for allegedly violating government norms and operating like commercial hotels. The administration has also started the process of removing these homestays from the Tourism department’s website. The action was taken in the Raipur, Sahaspur and Vikasnagar areas of Dehradun.
According to officials, the action was carried out under ‘Operation Safai.’ So far, five magistrate teams have conducted 153 inspections in different parts of the district. During the inspections, 103 homestays were found violating the Uttarakhand Homestay Rules. In the first phase, registrations of 17 homestays were cancelled, followed by 79 in the second phase and seven in the third phase.
The district administration said that many homestays were being operated like hotels and commercial properties instead of family run tourist accommodations. Officials also claimed that some of these places had become centres of illegal activities, including late night parties, loud DJ music and unauthorised bar operations.
According to the administration, several recent incidents in the city, including drunken hooliganism, overspeeding and firing incidents involving pistols, were linked to people staying in such homestays. Authorities said that some properties were being run on lease or rent, which is against the purpose of the homestay policy.
During inspections, officials found several violations, including lack of kitchen facilities, absence of valid fire safety equipment and operation without food licences. In some cases, owners were not staying at the properties and the number of rooms exceeded the permitted limit.
