Kolkata food safety raids have led to closure orders against 70 food establishments, while the licences of 14 establishments and registrations of another 15 have been cancelled, according to a report by Bartaman Patrika. The enforcement action covered hotels, restaurants, sweet shops and other food businesses, with officials identifying irregularities during inspections.
The Food Safety Department inspected 525 establishments as part of the recent drive. The action places cooking areas, food storage and basic compliance under renewed scrutiny across the city’s food-service network, which also serves customers ordering meals through delivery apps.
The report said the inspections found violations at multiple hotels and restaurants. Following the enforcement measures, businesses have started reorganising their cooking spaces and food-storage arrangements. The changes reportedly cover both food preparation areas and the way cooked food is kept before being served or delivered.
The action also extended to Basirhat health district, where the department inspected 350 small and large shops. Officials cancelled the licences of 11 establishments and ordered them to remain closed. Two other shops were directed to stop selling food and were temporarily shut.
In total, 13 shops in Basirhat were ordered to remain closed, according to the report. The enforcement figures indicate that the inspections were not limited to large restaurants or established hotels, but also included smaller food businesses operating within the wider local supply chain.
The scale of the drive is significant for consumers because food prepared in inspected establishments may be sold directly at a shop, served in a restaurant or delivered through an online platform. The report’s account of businesses changing their kitchens and storage practices shows that enforcement action is affecting operations beyond the point of sale.
The Food Safety Department’s action also highlights the administrative role of routine inspections in maintaining compliance among food establishments. Closure orders, licence cancellations and registration cancellations are different enforcement outcomes, but all can immediately affect whether a business is permitted to continue operating.
The report did not provide details of the individual violations identified at each establishment, the names of the businesses involved or a timeline for their possible reopening. It also did not specify whether the establishments ordered to close can resume operations after corrective measures and further approval from the department.
