Hyderabad City Security Council members after the meeting
Hyderabad: The Hyderabad police on Friday, July 17, made registration mandatory for all women’s hostels and raised concerns over safety issues.
A survey conducted across 447 women’s hostels in the city revealed that only 43 per cent of the hostels had compound walls, while just 38.9 per cent were equipped with fire safety systems.
The Hyderabad City Police, Hyderabad City Security Council (HCSC) and United Way of Hyderabad have launched Project Safe Stay to ensure safer accommodation for women professionals and students migrating to the city for education and employment.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar said the audit was carried out by 10 special teams across 447 women’s hostels in the city.
While 97.5 per cent of the hostels had CCTV cameras, only 43 per cent had proper compound walls, exposing residents to security risks. More significantly, fire safety equipment was available in only 38.9 per cent of the hostels, highlighting the urgent need for better emergency preparedness.
The new framework, he said, has been designed to bridge these safety gaps through continuous monitoring and compliance.
As part of Project Safe Stay, the ‘Suraksha Nivas 1.0’ guidelines were unveiled by Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Commissioner R.V. Karnan at the Integrated Command and Control Centre in Banjara Hills.
Sajjanar stressed that it is mandatory for all women’s hostels and PG accommodations functioning within the Hyderabad Commissionerate to register. Hostel operators can obtain Form A from their respective police stations under the newly launched registration and regulatory framework.
The commissioner said the objective is not to burden hostel operators but to establish minimum safety standards and create a secure living environment for women. He also announced that a dedicated mobile application for women’s hostel safety would be launched soon.
Addressing the meeting, GHMC Commissioner RV Karnan said large-scale hostel operations are classified as commercial establishments and require valid trade licences.
Hostels providing food services were also asked to obtain Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) licences. He warned that establishments operating without the required statutory approvals would be treated as unauthorised.
Karnan directed hostel managements to maintain complete records of residents, conduct background verification of housekeeping and support staff, and ensure that CCTV cameras installed in common areas remain functional at all times.
District Fire Officer T. Venkanna advised hostel operators to provide a second staircase in every building to facilitate emergency evacuation.
He also recommended installing 2-kg fire extinguishers on every floor and inside every room, besides setting up hose reel systems connected to rooftop water tanks to contain fires during the initial stages.
Assistant Food Controller P. Murthy stressed that hostel kitchens must maintain high hygiene standards and undergo regular pest control.
He warned that food samples would be collected from hostels found violating safety norms, and criminal cases could be registered under provisions relating to unsafe, substandard and misbranded food, in addition to the imposition of heavy fines.
HCSC Secretary General Shekhar Reddy said hostels should be viewed as a responsible service rather than merely a business.
He said adopting higher safety standards and securing better online safety ratings would improve the credibility of hostel operators while giving residents and their parents greater confidence in choosing accommodation.
This post was last modified on July 18, 2026 10:21 am