MCA restaurants at the Mumbai Cricket Association premises in Bandra-Kurla Complex face further regulatory scrutiny after the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration issued notices to five outlets over alleged licensing violations linked to third-party operations.
FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said on Sunday that the department is awaiting replies from the concerned restaurants and food outlets before deciding on further action. The notices cover establishments where the Mumbai Cricket Association is registered as the food business operator, while the restaurants are being operated by another entity.
Mundhe said a food licence is issued to a specific entity for a particular premises and activity. An operator other than the licensed entity, he said, cannot run a food business under a licence issued in the name of the MCA.
The issue concerns four or five locations at the MCA facility, according to the FDA commissioner. The department issued the notices in accordance with directions from the Bombay High Court, which has also passed an order concerning whether a food licence obtained by the MCA can be operated by another entity.
The FDA had earlier suspended the food licences of five outlets at the facility: Permit Room, Pavilion, Mediterranean, Oriental Swing and Clubway & Pastry Counter. The initial action followed inspections that identified alleged hygiene lapses and structural violations at the establishments.
The outlets were reportedly being operated by third-party contractor Shirke Infrastructure, while the food business operator licences remained in the MCA’s name. The five restaurants and bars were subsequently allowed to reopen after intervention by the Bombay High Court last month.
Mundhe said the latest notices concern both the licensing arrangement and the operation of the establishments by an entity other than the one holding the food business operator registration. He added that any entity actually operating a food business must obtain the required licence or registration in its own name.
The FDA commissioner said a third-party operator must comply with the applicable licensing requirements before running the establishment. The department will review the responses submitted by the concerned restaurants before passing further orders.
