Gurugram, Sept. 9 -- Days after the fatal collapse of five-floor boys paying guest (PG) accommodation in Delhi's Satya Niketan, residents in Gurugram have raised concerns over overcrowding and the violations of building safety and fire norms at PGs in the city. A spot check found that PGs in several locations in the city were within densely built residential areas with narrow lanes and inadequate fire-safety provisions. In DLF Phase 3's U-Block, Chakkarpur, Dundahera, and sectors 23 and 39, residential buildings had been converted into PGs, budget guesthouses and food joints. Several lanes had overflowing garbage and sewer. Rents or double-room sharing, meanwhile, ranged from Rs.6,000 to Rs.13,000. Nishant Kumar, who works at a corporate office in Cyber City, said, "At this price and the close proximity to my office, this was one of the best options. Accommodation in Gurugram can be very costly. I am aware of the condition where I am staying, but the accommodation here is cheaper than all the other options. Hence, I have taken a chance." A five-storey PG in DLF Phase 3's U-Block housed around 80 tenants in 45 micro-rooms in about 1,350 sq feet. Its single staircase, less than three feet wide, was the only entry and exit, with no exterior fire escape, hose reels or automated sprinklers. In Dundahera, a four-storey PG had 32 rooms; its narrow lane was partly blocked by two-wheelers. Gas cylinders were allowed but there were no fire extinguishers. Several converted houses in Sector 39 also lacked extinguishers. "That will be installed. Why do you care about the fire extinguishers? You will not find such affordable rental anywhere else," a Sector 39 PG caretaker told HT. Neeta Kumari, a housekeeping staffer at a private company who is staying in a girls' PG in Dundahera, said, "I have to walk till the main road to get a ride. I live on the fifth floor and there is no lift, but this is affordable and close to the office." She added that the monsoon brings waterlogged streets and, sometimes, damaged electric cables. Under the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) and Haryana Building Code, Stilt+4 structures are generally permitted up to 15m, extendable to 16.5m with a fire department NOC. They are permitted only on roads 10m or wider; roads 9m or narrower allow only Stilt+3. Under the National Building Code (NBC) and Haryana Fire and Emergency Services Act regulations, buildings taller than 15m must obtain a fire NOC and install extinguishers, water pipelines, fire alarms, sprinklers and smoke detectors. Several buildings have up to six floors and are operating as PGs. Fire department officials said at least 667 PG accommodations inspected so far lacked a fire NOC or adequate fire-safety equipment. The survey began after the June 3 fire at an illegally operated B&B facility in South Delhi's Malviya Nagar killed at least 23 people. Narendra Yadav, fire safety officer at Sector 29 fire station, said show-cause notices had been sent to more than 350 PGs. "The survey is ongoing, and we are sending notices as the survey continues. One of the major issues that we are facing is the shortage of staff. Gurugram has several such buildings which need to be checked, and our teams are working relentlessly for the survey. However, shortage of staff and workers is one of the reasons why the survey is moving at a slower pace," he said. Officials also said 117 restaurants, 175 coaching centres, 84 coaching centres and 11 guest houses lacked fire NOCs and adequate firefighting equipment. In March, a residential building converted into a PG collapsed in Dundahera, killing one man and injuring three. Residents had complained of rainwater seepage, but the owner allegedly failed to repair it, according to the police complaint. Earlier this week, part of the roof at Tau Devi Lal Stadium collapsed following the monsoon. No injuries were reported. Other collapses occurred in Sadar Bazar, Udyog Vihar Phase 1, Sector 109 and Khawaspur Village over five years. In the latest demolition drive, the Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) identified 5,000 buildings with construction violations in DLF phases 1-5. Satyabir Singh Rohilla, spokesperson of MCG, said, "Officials were compiling a list of illegal or unsafe residential and commercial buildings in the extended villages of the sectors and within MCG jurisdiction." A senior Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) official, asking not to be named, told HT, "Several PGs were found operating during demolition drives in different DLF phases. Some were sealed and demolished, while notices were issued to multiple house owners. Action will be taken as per law." In June, DTCP sealed 15 PGs (476 rooms) and three guesthouses/hotels (87 rooms) in DLF Phase III during action on June 18-20 and July 3-4. Officials said about 5,000 properties across DLF Phases 1-5 were flagged for building and land-use violations; enforcement in Phase III touched nearly 100 properties through sealing, demolition of illegal rooms and stilt structures, and clearance of right-of-way encroachments. Another 50 guesthouses/PGs in licensed colonies outside DLF 1-5 have been identified and proceedings initiated....