Maharashtra FDA suspends licences of 30 eateries, dark stores over hygiene breaches

Kohinoor Hospitality Centre in Dadar West found with non-compliance of food safety norms

Continuing its aggressive pre-festive action across the state, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the operational licences of 30 prominent eateries, quick-commerce dark stores, catering hubs, and bakeries after uncovering hygiene breaches.

The recently conducted three-day statewide drive resulted in the seizure of substandard food items worth R16.22 lakh, Rs 67.67 lakh in banned gutkha and paan masala, and 18 arrests.

In Mumbai, 11 licences were revoked with immediate effect. At Annadata Aahar Kendra (Zunka Bhakar Kendra) in Khar West, flying insects, ants, stagnant water, and lack of water test reports invited closure.

Potatoes, onions stored outside a toilet at PR Jena Caterers. Pics/By Special Arrangement

Girgaon’s New English Bakery saw workers kneading dough barefoot on the floor with rusted utensils, while St Philomena Bakery in Mazgaon was found using ink-stained newspapers to wrap pav baked on soot-caked racks.

Quick-commerce giant Blinkit saw two dark stores shuttered – in Sion Koliwada and Sewri West – after failing improvement notices, with inspectors discovering haphazard stockpiles, rusted sugar crates, cobwebbed walls, and beverages dumped directly on damp floors. In Kurla West, Sodexo India Services faced suspension over heavy cockroach and worm infestations inside student dining supplies.

Officials also seized banned gutkha and paan masala in bulk. REPRESENTATION PICS/I STOCK

At Bandra-Kurla Complex, PR Jena Caterers was caught storing raw potatoes and onions outside a toilet alongside improperly thawed frozen seafood. Meanwhile, the kitchen of Shetty Catering Service inside Shatabdi Hospital in Govandi was shut for scattered food waste, unmonitored cooking oil, and no pest control. Shut-down orders also hit Favourite Takeaway and Kohinoor Hospitality Management Applied Training Centre in Dadar West, alongside Swinsta Enterprises in Chembur, for blatant non-compliance of basic food safety norms.

Raids targeting adulterated festive essentials led to the seizure of 430 kg of counterfeit Amul cheese, unlabelled ghee packets, unhygienic oils, and grains from stores and suppliers in Pune, Nagpur, and Bhandara districts.

Across the Konkan belt, 12 establishments faced crackdowns. In Thane, the axe fell on Maxoil Enterprises in Wagle Estate, Hyderabad House in Waghbil, Pratish Enterprises (R Mall), Jai Bharat Restaurant on Station Road, Neelkamal Bakery in Kalyan West, New Sunrise Bakery in Kalyan East, New Good Luck Bakery and Store in Kalwa, Gulistan Family Restaurant in Mumbra, and RK Dairy in Kalwa.

Raigad: FDA suspended the licence of Dattaray Restaurant in Karjat, alongside Rushita Foods and Subway (Culinary Brands India) in Khalapur for violating Schedule IV food handling norms.

Pune: Licences of six food joints were suspended for flouting mandatory sanitary standards. These include: Sai Prasad Veg (Navi Peth), Manas Family Resto and Lounge (Shivajinagar), Hotel Malaj (Sinhagad Road), Shivarsh Veg Restaurant (Warje), Hotel Rajput (Shirur), and JK Chinese (Baramati).

Beed: Licence of hotel Samarth in Kaij was suspended, while Dhole Food Products in Wadwani was sealed with R1.17 lakh in farsan seized for operating without a valid license and misleading consumers with old label permits.

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