Chandigarh, Sep 4 - Visitors to Chandigarh will henceforth not be allowed to stay in hotels, guest houses and other temporary accommodation unless they furnish proof of their identity.

District Magistrate R.K. Rao Friday ordered owners of hotels, guest houses, 'sarais' and other places to obtain identity (ID) proof from the visitors who stay in these places.

The owners of such premises have been asked to prohibit the stay of unknown people in their premises whose identity has not been established. The identity of the visitor would be established through identity card, voter card, ration card, driving license, passport and photo credit card.

'A register will be maintained for identity of the visitors. Visitors will have to make an entry in their handwriting mentioning their name, address, telephone number and identity proof with signature in the register,' a spokesman of the Chandigarh administration said here Friday.

The order had been passed to prevent anti-social elements from making a base in the city - the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana.