Doon admin cancels registration of 17 illegal homestays

Dehradun: The district administration on Wednesday cancelled the registration of 17 homestays in Sahaspur and Raipur after inspections found violations. The action was part of ‘Operation Safai’, launched last week. Officials said this was the first phase of the drive, and more action was likely against violators in the coming days.District magistrate Savin Bansal said some homestays and hotels were accommodating tourists without following due procedure. “We have received reports of guests creating disturbances in the city, including reckless driving under the influence and even firing weapons,” he said. He added that the homestay scheme aims to promote local culture, traditional cuisine and generate income locally, but several units were being run as hotels or commercial establishments.Officials said many homestays lacked proper kitchen facilities, while fire safety equipment was either missing or had expired. Some were being used for wedding functions and other commercial activities. In several cases, owners were not staying on the premises, and the properties were being run on rent or lease.At a homestay in Niranjanpur, details of foreign guests were not reported as required. In Ballupur, more rooms than permitted were being run, while in Mussoorie, one homestay had changed ownership and another had not renewed its registration.