The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has suspended 28 food-business licences in Mumbai as part of a special Diwali inspection campaign that identified hygiene and food-safety violations across the state, according to a report by Navbharat Times – Mumbai.
The statewide campaign resulted in 105 food-business licences being suspended and orders to shut seven establishments. Three of the closure orders were issued in Pune, two in Amravati, and one each in Mumbai and the Konkan region.
In Mumbai, the suspended licences include those linked to Zepto in Worli and Blink Commerce Private Limited, which operates Blinkit. The action also covers Tossin Pizza in Worli, Biryani By Kilo operated by Black Velvet Hospitality, Jumbo Burger operated under Abhay Sharma HUF, Theram Restaurant, Shifu Express and Maratha Kitchen.
The report said FDA inspectors found several hygiene and food-storage deficiencies during inspections of food outlets and retail centres. These included dirty floors, soot-covered walls, damaged ceilings and food items kept directly on unclean flooring. Inspectors also found that some premises did not have window screens to prevent insects from entering and did not maintain records of temperature control.
The report further said that employees involved in preparing or serving food at some establishments did not have medical fitness certificates. Hotels and restaurants named in the action include Hotel Annapurna, Hotel Sai Pooja, Nityanand Bhuvan Hindu Hotel and Hotel Gurudev Bar and Restaurant.
The campaign also covered sweet shops and caterers in several Mumbai neighbourhoods. Tahura Sweets and Bakery in Nagpada, Jamnagari Sweets and Farsan in Vile Parle, Mahiyar Sweet and Snacks in Versova and Samrat Sweets in Bhandup were among the establishments named in the report.
Food-safety officials seized 2,396.6 kilograms of food products from various sweet shops in Mumbai. The seized material was valued at Rs 13.87 lakh, according to the report.
Other businesses named in the Mumbai action include Durga Vadapav Centre, Bharat General Stores and Grain Shop, Krishna V Dairy and Sweets, Bombay Farsan Mart, Shiv Traders, Bhagyalakshmi Sweet and Farsan Mart, Bharat Dudh Alay, Akash Enterprises, Pooja Sweets and Shri Ganesh Farsan and Sweet Mart in Khar.
The FDA also suspended the licence of Kalash Caterers after a large-scale food-poisoning incident was reported at a wedding function. The licence of Amroha Darbar Caterer in Byculla was suspended as part of the same enforcement action.
The inspections come during a period of increased demand for sweets, prepared foods, catering and quick-commerce deliveries ahead of Diwali. The reported findings place licensing, food storage, staff certification and sanitation controls at the centre of the state regulator’s enforcement campaign. The report did not provide details of the period for which each licence was suspended or the conditions required for their restoration.
