Hostel owners seek extended deadline for registration

While the deadline set by Chennai Collector A Shanmugasundaram is December 31, the owners have sought an extension of six months. If the hostel owners fail to register by the stipulated time, they could face jail up to two years, under the Tamil Nadu Hostels and Homes for Women and Children (Regulation) Act, 2014. The announcement was made last week after a private hostel was found fitted with hidden cameras by the person running it.

Speaking to media persons, the 300-member association said that the rules required D License along with building license, fire safety license and sanitary license. KS Manoharan, General secretary of the association, said, “We have been applying for the required licenses, including D license, but there has been a considerable delay. At this rate, we will not be able to meet the deadline. We will follow the rules, but we need time.”

The hostel owners added that the documents required details like the blueprint of the structure. “However, many of us have been operating out of rented buildings. The owners are not going to give us the documents,” he added.

The members also said that the rules specify that one has to allot a space of 80 sq ft per person for children’s hostel and 120 sq ft for adults’ hostels. “That is not feasible as we cannot operate in low rents,” pointed out Selvam D, who runs Amman Ladies Hostel. They appealed that closure of the hostels would mean inconveniencing scores of people, who hail from other cities and rely on these hostels for shelter.

There are about 10,000 hostels for various categories being run in the city and the association plans to bring in all of them under the umbrella of the association, they said.