Food safety inspectors have found a string of lapses at establishments serving food under IRCTC and at ISKCON Juhu, prompting the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to suspend licences and issue improvement notices.
The action followed inspections conducted by the FDA at five IRCTC-linked food establishments in Mumbai and Thane and at food outlets on the ISKCON Juhu premises. The violations flagged by inspectors range from poor hygiene and improper food storage to pest infestation, clogged drains, inadequate testing and missing safety records. Among the IRCTC establishments, the FDA has suspended the licence of RK Associates & Hoteliers Pvt Ltd in Kurla (West) from September 8 until further orders.
The establishment was inspected on
September 2 and subsequently re-inspected. According to the FDA, serious deficiencies continued to be observed, leading to the suspension. Four other IRCTC-linked establishments—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—have been served improvement notices.
The FDA action at ISKCON Juhu was prompted by inspections carried out on September 3. Licences of three food establishments were suspended after inspectors reported multiple food-safety and hygiene violations. The inspection reportedly found inadequate testing of food and drinking water, improper storage and segregation of raw and cooked food, clogged drains, water accumulation and pest-related concerns.
At one of the restaurants, inspectors found pest droppings in a storeroom and an open rear kitchen entry that could potentially allow pests to enter. Food handlers were also found without prescribed protective clothing, while records relating to medical examinations, vaccinations and food-safety training were reportedly unavailable.
At Govindas Restaurant, inspectors flagged similar concerns, including inadequate checks of raw materials, improper segregation of food, drainage problems and deficiencies in pest-control arrangements. The FDA also found gaps in staff medical fitness and food-safety training records.
The action is significant because both sets of establishments cater to large numbers of people — IRCTC-linked kitchens and food plazas serving railway passengers and food outlets at a major religious complex in Juhu.
The FDA has made it clear that food businesses cannot treat basic hygiene, pest control, safe storage and testing as paperwork formalities. The suspensions and notices now put the onus on the establishments to rectify the deficiencies before they can resume operations or continue under regulatory approval.
