Noida: The Federation of Noida Residents Welfare Associations (FONRWA) has urged the Noida authority to crack down on paying guest (PG) facilities and other commercial establishments operating illegally across residential sectors, FONRWA officials said.
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In response, Sanjeev Bedi, assistant general manager (commercial, institutional and residential plots) at Noida authority, said: “PG accommodations are not permitted in purely residential areas. However, on plots where commercial or mixed land use is permissible, a property owner can apply for approval. The applicant must submit a proposal to the planning department specifying the commercial activity they intend to undertake. The planning department examines the application and grants approval if it complies with the prescribed norms.”
Tyagi added that PGs serve an important need in a city like Noida, which has a large concentration of companies and educational institutions. “Where are outstation students or the bachelors who work supposed to stay?” he said.
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FONRWA general secretary KK Jain told HT that many of these PGs lack basic fire safety measures such as fire extinguishers, emergency exits and other mandatory safety infrastructure, posing a serious risk to residents.
This demand follows frequent instances of fires in residential areas across the city.
Jain added that unauthorised PGs and other commercial activities have led to traffic congestion, parking problems, sanitation issues, noise and security concerns, affecting the residential character of several sectors.
PG owners, however, claimed that no clear mechanism exists for obtaining approvals from the Noida authority. “For the past eight or nine years, we have been trying to register our PGs, but we have received no response from the Noida authority,” claimed Vishesh Tyagi, a PG owner.
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Meanwhile, Noida authority’s additional chief executive officer, Satish Pal, said the complaints raised by FONRWA will be looked into.
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According to Jain, the issue is prevalent across several residential sectors, including 12, 19, 22, 27, 40, 50, 70, 71, 117 and 122.
“There are around 20-25 PGs in Sector 19, and all of them are illegal. The sector already faces issues with old sewage pipelines and the water supply. These commercial establishments also consume resources meant for residents,” RC Gupta, president of the Sector 19 RWA, told HT.
He added that PGs should operate only in designated commercial areas, such as Sector 18.
“When we complain to the Noida authority, it shuts these establishments down for some time, but they reopen again,” said Pradeep Mishra, general secretary of the Sector 71 RWA.
