Bengaluru: Living away from home can be a difficult adjustment, particularly for students and working professionals who miss the comfort of home-cooked food. For many residents of paying guest (PG) accommodations in Bengaluru, however, food is an area where they have little choice.
With cooking often prohibited inside PG rooms, residents depend on meals provided by management. While recent food safety inspections across Karnataka have focused on restaurants and eateries, concerns over PG kitchens have largely remained outside the spotlight.
Residents raise concerns over food quality
Several PG residents allege that the meals served at their accommodations often fall short of basic hygiene standards. Complaints include undercooked rice and vegetables, unhygienic kitchens, hair in food and repeated use of cooking oil.
Jeet, a student who previously lived in a PG, recalled seeing cockroaches and rats around the kitchen. He said cockroaches were eventually found in food served to residents.
Despite repeated complaints, he claimed that little changed. He eventually stopped eating the food and moved out, calling for stricter enforcement and more frequent inspections.
Quality concerns despite high charges
Working professional Reuben, whose name has been changed, said food charges form a significant part of PG fees, particularly affecting students from less privileged backgrounds.
He alleged that the quality promised during admission often deteriorates over time, especially after the beginning of the academic year. He also raised concerns over the repeated use of cooking oil and leftover oil.
Reuben said poor food safety practices had affected the health of people he knew, prompting him to move to a PG without food services. This allows him greater control over what he eats and whether he cooks or orders food from outside.
Food preferences add another challenge
Another resident, Neeraj, said some PGs cater predominantly to North Indian residents, resulting in menus centred on roti-sabzi, dal and rice.
While such food may suit many residents, he said it may not always match the preferences of South Indian occupants.
The concerns raised by residents point to the need for greater attention to food safety in PG accommodations, where large numbers of students and young professionals depend on kitchens they often cannot access or monitor themselves.