The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched regulatory action against multiple food establishments associated with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and outlets operating at ISKCON Juhu after inspections uncovered several alleged breaches of food safety and hygiene requirements.
The inspections covered five IRCTC-linked establishments across Mumbai and Thane, along with food businesses functioning on the premises of ISKCON Juhu. Officials identified concerns ranging from poor sanitation and unsafe food storage to pest-control problems, blocked drainage systems, inadequate testing and incomplete statutory records.
The action includes the suspension of one IRCTC-linked establishment’s licence and improvement notices to four others.
IRCTC-Linked Unit Faces Licence Suspension
The FDA has suspended the food licence of RK Associates & Hoteliers Pvt Ltd in Kurla West with effect from September 8 and continuing until further orders.
The establishment was first inspected on September 2 and was subsequently subjected to a follow-up inspection. According to FDA officials, the second inspection found that serious deficiencies had not been adequately addressed.
The regulator has also served improvement notices on four other IRCTC-associated establishments. They are Om Sai Ram Enterprises and Ambuj Hotels & Real Estate Pvt Ltd in Chembur, Express Food Services in Powai, and Araha Hospitality Pvt Ltd in Kopri Colony, Thane East.
The notices require the establishments to address the deficiencies and bring their operations in line with prescribed food safety requirements.
ISKCON Juhu Outlets Also Come Under FDA Scanner
The FDA’s inspection drive extended to food establishments at ISKCON Juhu, where inspections were carried out on September 3.
Three establishments have faced licence suspension following the inspections, with officials reporting a series of hygiene and food-handling concerns.
Among the issues detected were inadequate testing of food and drinking water, failure to properly separate raw ingredients from cooked food, stagnant water and clogged drains, and inadequate pest-control measures.
In one outlet, inspectors reportedly found pest droppings in a storage area. Officials also observed that an open rear entrance to the kitchen could provide access for pests.
Food handlers were reportedly not following prescribed protective-wear requirements. The inspection also found gaps in documentation relating to employees’ medical examinations, vaccination records and food safety training.
Govinda’s Restaurant Among Establishments Facing Action
At Govinda’s Restaurant, the FDA reportedly identified shortcomings in the checking of incoming raw materials, food segregation and drainage management.
Officials also flagged deficiencies in pest-control arrangements and missing or inadequate records relating to staff medical fitness and food safety training.
The findings have raised concerns because the establishments involved serve substantial numbers of customers, including railway passengers and visitors to the ISKCON complex.
Food safety authorities have maintained that measures such as proper storage, hygiene, pest control, regular testing and maintenance of mandatory records are essential components of safe food operations rather than routine paperwork.
The establishments facing regulatory action will have to correct the deficiencies identified during inspections and demonstrate compliance with food safety standards. Further action, including restoration of suspended licences, will depend on the establishments meeting the requirements laid down by the regulator.
The latest crackdown also highlights the FDA’s scrutiny of food businesses operating in high-footfall locations, where lapses in hygiene and food handling can potentially affect a large number of consumers.
