Hotels and eateries along the Hyderabad-Vijayawada National Highway are facing enforcement action after Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG SAFE) teams found unhygienic kitchens, pest infestations, improper food storage and expired food licences during inspections on Tuesday.
The inspections were conducted by the TG SAFE Food Wing and Enforcement officials at establishments located between Koyyalagudem and Kodad. The checks covered hotels operating along the highway, which connects Hyderabad with Vijayawada and serves inter-city travellers as well as local communities along the route.
According to the inspection findings reported by Telangana Today, officials found cockroaches and rats in storage areas at some eateries. They also observed food being prepared in unhygienic kitchen conditions and pests in raw ingredients, including lentils and pulses.
The teams further reported that meat and dairy products were not being stored at the correct temperatures or in the proper manner. Some establishments were also found storing food that had been cooked on the previous day, raising concerns about how food was being handled and preserved before being served to customers.
The inspections also identified hotels operating with expired FSSAI licences. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India licence is required for food businesses, and the reported lapse formed part of the violations recorded by the inspection teams.
TG SAFE initiated different enforcement measures based on the conditions found at the establishments. Some hotels were being closed down, while show-cause notices were issued to some businesses and improvement notices to others. The report did not identify the individual hotels or provide the number of establishments facing each type of action.
The inspection has brought attention to the conditions in roadside food establishments on a busy inter-state travel corridor. For passengers, drivers and other highway users, such eateries are often service points during long journeys. The findings indicate that enforcement teams were examining not only the cleanliness of kitchens but also pest control, the condition of raw ingredients, cold storage practices, reuse or storage of prepared food and the validity of operating licences.
The action also distinguishes between different levels of regulatory response. Closures were initiated at some locations, while other businesses received notices requiring them to respond or improve conditions. The supplied report does not state the deadlines for replies or improvements, nor does it specify whether follow-up inspections have been scheduled.
The inspections were conducted by TG SAFE Food Wing and Enforcement officials on Tuesday. Further action will depend on the responses and compliance measures required from the establishments that received show-cause or improvement notices.
