Maharashtra's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cracked down on hotels and restaurants flouting cleanliness and safety norms across Mumbai, cancelling licences of three prominent establishments and ordering the sealing of an unlicensed hotel in Vidarbha.
The action comes after senior IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe took charge of the FDA's operations, with the crackdown targeting establishments the administration said were compromising customer health, NDTV Marathi reported.
Bhendi Bazar hotels under scanner
In south Mumbai's Bhendi Bazar area, the licence of the well-known Shalimar Hospitality hotel was reportedly cancelled after officials found 25 separate violations during a follow-up inspection, despite an earlier notice giving the establishment time to rectify faults.
Another popular eatery in the same locality, Noor Mohammadi Hotel, also came under FDA scrutiny.
An inspection of its kitchen reportedly uncovered a thick layer of accumulated oil on the floor, along with open windows near the kebab preparation area that had allowed pests and rodents to enter freely.
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Peeling paint on walls and ceilings, unclean raw material storage, missing supplier records, unwashed utensils and the absence of water-testing records and pest-control measures were among the lapses cited.
Action extends beyond Mumbai
Strict measures were also taken against Rahmania Restaurant in Umarkhadi and a third hotel, where reportedly inadequate storage arrangements for food, spices and packaging material, doors lacking pest barriers, and utensils made from substandard materials being used in unhygienic conditions.
Peeling plaster and paint, along with the absence of ingredient-quality and water-testing records, were flagged as serious violations at the restaurant.
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Outside Mumbai, the FDA took its fourth major action against Amravati Darbar hotel, located near Shegaon Naka in Amravati's Abhiyanta Bhavan premises. The inspection found the hotel had been operating without a valid food licence altogether.
Calling the violation serious, the FDA issued an immediate closure notice, directing the establishment to shut operations at once.
The crackdown has triggered unease among hotel operators across the city, with more inspections expected as the FDA continues its drive against establishments found compromising public health standards.
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