Statewide inspections lead to seizures, arrests
The Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) inspected 31 hotels, restaurants, roadside eateries and other food establishments on Tuesday, leading to seizures worth nearly Rs 25 lakh, 10 arrests and the suspension of five licences. According to an official release, 22 establishments were issued improvement notices, while six were sealed.
The crackdown targeted banned products including gutkha, pan masala, flavoured supari and other prohibited items. The FDA said it seized such stock worth Rs 11.40 lakh from eight establishments across the Mumbai, Konkan, Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar divisions. Additionally, around 14,552 kg of other food products, including milk and milk-based items, bakery products and other food articles, were seized, valued at approximately Rs 13.90 lakh. Samples were collected in some cases and sent to authorised laboratories for testing.
Eight FIRs were registered in connection with the action, the agency said.
Specific establishments penalised
Among the establishments whose licences were suspended was Hotel Radha in Malad (West), Mumbai. Officials found serious hygiene and food safety lapses there, including live rodents in the kitchen, along with poor drainage and sanitation, the release said. The FDA suspended the hotel's food business licence under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Another licence was suspended for an establishment operating at Saraswati College of Engineering in Kharghar after inspectors found deficiencies linked to food safety, hygiene and pest-control arrangements. Action was also taken against Janata Tawa and Grill in Kurla, where FDA officials detected serious food safety violations. In another inspection, officials found expired food products and unhygienic conditions at Parmeshthi Super Shoppe near Devagiri Hospital in Vaijapur, and proceedings were initiated against the food business operator.
The FDA, headed by senior IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe, said the inspections were part of the statewide 'Safe Food, Safe Maharashtra' campaign. The agency urged food business operators to ensure proper storage, temperature control, cleanliness and pest control.
Separate drive shuts railway stalls
In a related but separate action, the Maharashtra FDA, working with Western Railway's Commercial Department, has shut 22 food stalls at railway stations across Mumbai over hygiene and food-quality violations. Bandra station recorded the highest number of closures, with 11 stalls ordered shut. Action was also taken against stalls at Grant Road, Lower Parel, Charni Road and Marine Lines.
The inspections found several violations, including unhygienic premises, poor-quality food preparations and food handlers operating without valid medical certificates. Officials also found poor-quality preparations of food items such as chole and samosas. According to Western Railway data, 1,523 routine and surprise inspections were conducted between January and July 2026, during which 22 stalls were penalised and vendors were fined a combined Rs 1.14 lakh.
The FDA has also separately suspended the licences of six hotels, clubs and eateries in Bandra, Dahisar, Khar, Vile Parle, Marol and Chembur over serious food-safety violations, including adulterated paneer, expired ingredients, pest infestation and unhygienic conditions. The agency's Eat Right Station programme focuses on auditing, training and certifying food vendors operating at railway stations, and further inspections are planned across Mumbai's suburban railway network and other food establishments.