Bengaluru’s city corporations have launched a major crackdown on paying guest (PG) accommodations across the city for violating safety and hygiene norms. Inspections in C.V. Raman Nagar and Shanti Nagar found all 321 PGs checked broke the rules. The corporations issued notices to all, giving them seven days to comply. On January 12, the South City Corporation shut down 10 PGs for poor hygiene. Earlier, the East City Corporation sent notices to PGs for safety violations. However, citizen groups say the inspections seem more like revenue collection than real enforcement. Dhruv N.K., a civic activist from South Bengaluru, called the effort "eyewash." He said, "If the civic bodies really wanted to fix the issues, they should have looked at building code violations, parking violations, and safety issues. That would force them to shut down most of these establishments." R. Rajagopalan of the Bengaluru Coalition noted many PGs violate the Revised Master Plan 2015 rules. Some six- and seven-storey buildings stand on small plots, ignoring size and road-width limits. He said, "The RMP states that PGs are essentially commercial establishments and should not come up in residential areas, but this is rarely considered. Many of these establishments are coming up on roads that are less than 40 ft. wide, which is a clear violation." Civic groups say the corporations focus only on inside inspections while ignoring visible outside violations. K. Karthik, from a student area, shared housing woes. He said rents start at ₹13,000 for shared rooms in South-East Bengaluru and rooms are so small they seem like enclosures. "Students pay ₹10,000 even for cramped rooms, and if there is biometric access, they pay extra," he added. Activists highlight that many PGs lack trade licenses or occupancy certificates. Most depend on purchased electricity and private water, showing regulatory gaps. Mr. Rajagopalan said, "It is mandatory for PG establishments to register with local police stations, but they rarely do." He called for a coordinated effort among departments, with mandatory PG registration and a public repository for transparency. Failing this, he warned, city neighborhoods will grow too crowded and unsafe. The crackdown is a start, but deeper reforms are needed to tackle Bengaluru's growing PG challenge.