Chandigarh is preparing to reintroduce a regulated bed and breakfast model, signalling a renewed push to expand tourist accommodation through private homes while addressing long-standing concerns around misuse and unregulated commercial activity. The move reflects a broader shift in urban tourism planning, where cities are increasingly leveraging residential spaces to meet rising visitor demand without large-scale construction.
Officials involved in the process indicate that the revived framework will include stricter eligibility norms, clearer operational guidelines, and defined limits on the number of rooms that can be rented out. The earlier version of the scheme, introduced over a decade ago, had been discontinued after instances of residential properties being converted into quasi-commercial lodging facilities, raising concerns around zoning violations and neighbourhood disruption. The reworked bed and breakfast scheme is expected to align with national tourism models that promote homestays as a supplementary accommodation ecosystem. Under such frameworks, private homeowners can offer a limited number of rooms to visitors, provided they meet safety, hygiene, and registration requirements. These models are designed to offer affordable and culturally immersive stays while distributing tourism income more evenly across local communities. Urban planners view the initiative as a strategic response to the dual challenge of growing tourist inflows and limited hotel inventory in planned cities like Chandigarh. Unlike conventional hospitality infrastructure, which requires significant land and capital investment, homestay-based accommodation can be scaled more quickly and flexibly. This becomes particularly relevant during peak travel seasons, events, or conferences when demand often outpaces supply.
At the same time, the relaunch underscores the importance of regulatory oversight in mixed-use urban environments. Experts note that unchecked commercialisation of residential areas can strain local infrastructure, including parking, waste management, and public utilities. The revised framework is therefore expected to emphasise compliance mechanisms such as property inspections, guest registration norms, and periodic audits to ensure adherence to rules. From an economic standpoint, the scheme could open up new income streams for homeowners while supporting the city’s tourism ecosystem. Small-scale hospitality services—ranging from housekeeping to local transport—often develop around such models, creating micro-enterprises and employment opportunities. However, ensuring fair taxation and integration with formal tourism systems will be critical to maintaining a level playing field with the hotel industry. The environmental dimension is also notable. By utilising existing residential infrastructure, the bed and breakfast model reduces the need for new construction, aligning with more resource-efficient urban development practices. This approach can help limit the carbon footprint associated with expanding accommodation capacity, particularly in cities with strict land-use planning frameworks.
Looking ahead, the success of Chandigarh’s bed and breakfast scheme will depend on how effectively it balances flexibility with regulation. Clear guidelines, digital registration systems, and enforcement capacity will be key to preventing past challenges from resurfacing. As cities across India rethink tourism infrastructure in the context of sustainability and inclusivity, Chandigarh’s approach could offer a template for integrating residential participation into the urban hospitality economy—without compromising planning norms or civic liveability.
