The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) in Pune has suspended the food business licences of two well-known eateries on Fergusson College (FC) Road, Hotel Vaishali and Rupali Restaurant, after inspections on Friday found breaches of food safety law.
Both are barred from any food business, including dine-in, parcel and home delivery, until the lapses are corrected.
The FDA said the action is part of the "Safe Food Safe Maharashtra" campaign launched by Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe.
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At Hotel Vaishali, Food Safety Officer Ajinkya Umap inspected the premises on November 13 and awarded 58 marks out of 98, resulting in a "Non-Compliance" rating.
The FDA said the cramped kitchen had a freezer for raw material beside the women's washroom and the griddle for dosa and uttapam next to the men's washroom.
Washed utensils lay on a table facing the washrooms. Boiled potatoes, cooked rice and other ready food were kept in an open corridor, while idli and dosa batter was being prepared in an unprotected area. Cut raw vegetables sat directly above cooked items.
Inspectors also found no insect-proof doors in the kitchen, no temperature records, no current test report for drinking water and no valid FoSTaC-trained supervisor on site.
The FDA noted that a June 2026 inspection had already led to an improvement notice, and that the fresh lapses prompted Assistant Commissioner (Food) Syed Imran Hashmi to order the suspension.
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At Rupali Restaurant, Food Safety Officer A D Zanjurne carried out the inspection on November 13. The licence was suspended the same day after a hearing. The FDA said the kitchen was open and exposed to dust, dirt and insects.
Water had collected on the premises, cleaning was inadequate and waste was poorly managed. Raw, semi-processed and cooked food was stored uncovered, without labels or "Use By" dates, and was not kept separate.
The restaurant also had no temperature control records, food safety management plan, standard operating procedures or FoSTaC training records.
The action was taken under the guidance of Joint Commissioner Shrikant Karkale and on the orders of Hashmi, the designated officer. The establishments can resume business only after fixing every lapse, passing a fresh inspection and receiving written permission from the department.
FC Road is among Pune's busiest dining strips, popular with students and families.
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