Is Guwahati’s booming homestay market spiraling into a law-and-order crisis?

Once hailed as a symbol of grassroots entrepreneurship and tourism-friendly innovation, Guwahati’s booming homestay and short-term rental market is now under an uncomfortable spotlight. What began as an affordable, locally rooted alternative to hotels has in recent years turned into a source of friction, with residents alleging regulatory lapses, nuisance value, and even the use of such accommodations as hubs for alleged criminal activities.

In its early years, the rise of platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com, and Goibibo opened new income streams for homeowners. Families across the city welcomed the idea: travelers could access affordable lodging, and local hosts could earn directly without the overheads of formal hotels. But the sheen has begun to wear off.

Today, many of these “homestays” no longer cater to tourists at all. Instead, they largely serve local clientele and market themselves as “couple-friendly” or “hourly stay” accommodations. The shift has raised concerns of illicit activities, sex rackets, drug peddling, and late-night parties, flourishing under the guise of temporary rentals.

The growing discontent reached a boiling point at Surva Laxmi Apartment on Rajgarh Link Road in Guwahati, Assam. Residents discovered that one of the flats, owned by Dr Moni Pathak Bhuyan, had been allegedly converted into a commercial homestay named "The Bloomingvine Rajgarh". Advertised openly online, it promised amenities such as hourly bookings and late-night gatherings, in complete disregard of its setting within a family housing complex.

Promoted openly on platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com, and Goibibo, the property advertised “couple-friendly” stays, hourly bookings, and party facilities. For residents of the society, it was nothing short of a betrayal.

“Families live here, children live here. Suddenly, we were surrounded by strangers coming at odd hours, music blaring at night, and parties that stretched till morning,” recalls Saswati Bose, a resident of the apartment. Her husband, Dr. Siddharth Sehgal, echoes the sentiment: “It was like living above a bar. We never signed up for this. With young girls entering the premises wearing skimpy clothes and boys entering the homestay with girls with them. The entire thing turns into a ruckus at night. We even have visual proves of young boys jumping off the gate after mid night. Wonder whether they were trying to escape or bring someone else or God knows.”

The couple alleges that the property secured a GMC trade license using a dubious No Objection Certificate (NOC) from a so-called Residents’ Welfare Society, which was allegedly formed by absentee owners who do not even live in the complex.

Even after repeated complaints, they say, the GMC renewed the license without ever conducting a physical inspection.

The couple’s ordeal began in June 2024, when they purchased a flat in the apartment complex. Almost immediately, they noticed the flat above theirs being run as a homestay. The property, they claim, was owned by Dr. Moni Pathak Bhuyan, leased out to her by her husband Dr. Chidananda Bhuyan.

Repeated complaints to the absentee owners fell on deaf ears. With the disturbances continuing, the couple filed a formal complaint at Geetanagar police station on January 8, 2025.

When the police failed to act, they approached the Guwahati Municipal Corporation on January 29, 2025. After weeks of waiting, they were summoned for a hearing on March 11 by the GMC’s Revenue Branch. The flat owner failed to appear.

Finally, on April 4, 2025, the Mayor-in-Council revoked the trade license of The Bloomingvine. For a moment, relief swept through the apartment complex.

But that relief was short-lived.

Despite the license revocation, the homestay continued to operate as before. Shocked by the brazen defiance, the couple lodged another complaint with the Revenue Circle, pointing out that commercial operations were still ongoing.

Then came a twist. On June 11, 2025, when Bose filed yet another complaint, the homestay owners managed to obtain a fresh trade license, this time with an incorrect address and zone mentioned.

The very same day, police led by SI M.K. Baig from Geetanagar police station visited the apartment complex, accompanied by a GMC enforcement team. They confirmed that the homestay was indeed functioning inside the residential building. A detailed probe report was filed.

But instead of taking decisive action, the case was forwarded by Deputy Commissioner Tulsi Ranjan Kalita to the Lakhtokia Health Department, an unrelated authority.

Saswati Bose and her husband Dr Sehgal were left bewildered: Why was a clear case of zoning violation being shuffled around different offices?

Frustrated, the couple approached Mayor Mrigen Sarania on July 29, 2025. The Mayor expressed shock after personally examining the dubious trade license and immediately revoked it in a council meeting.

But the saga was far from over.

When the couple tried to meet GMC Commissioner Laxmi Bhuyan, they were denied access. Instead, they left the file with her personal assistant. Days later, they received a notice from Joint Commissioner Dhrubajyoti Hazarika, summoning them for a hearing on August 27.

What unfolded shocked them further. According to the couple, the Joint Commissioner misbehaved during the hearing, asking Dr. Siddharth to leave the cabin so he could speak only to Saswati, whose name was mentioned as the complainant. Once alone, Saswati alleges, the Commissioner dismissed her concerns and asked her to “prove” that the homestay was illegal, despite the fact that the license had already been revoked twice.

“It was humiliating. Instead of helping us, the authorities were treating us like troublemakers,” Saswati recalls.

Disheartened, the couple emailed both Chief Secretary Ravi Kota and Principal Secretary Krishna Kumar Dwivedi on August 27, alleging harassment and negligence by GMC officials. Their mails went unanswered.

On September 16, the couple received an urgent call from GMC, summoning them to another hearing the very next day. When Saswati requested a written notice, the official hesitated.

Two days later, on September 18, a GMC official finally arrived at their residence, carrying an order copy dated August 27. The bizarre discrepancy left the couple baffled.

“This is how the system works files are delayed, dates are manipulated, and the citizens suffer endlessly,” Dr. Sehgal said.

The battle at Surva Laxmi Apartments is not an isolated incident. Across Guwahati, residents are raising alarms about homestays mushrooming in residential zones, often under the protection of dubious trade licenses.

Citizens allege that the GMC’s online licensing system, while designed for efficiency, has turned into a loophole that is widely exploited. Without physical verification, residential flats can easily be converted into commercial lodgings leaving societies vulnerable to crime, noise, and safety hazards.