- Maharashtra FDA suspended the food business licence of Hotel Radha in Mumbai's Malad after inspectors found rats and cockroaches inside its kitchen.
- The licence was suspended with immediate effect following an inspection carried out on August 18.
- The FDA took action under Section 32(3) of the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006.
- Inspectors found live rats near the kitchen ceiling and emerging from open drainage lines during the inspection.
- The inspection revealed live cockroaches crawling over food preparation equipment, including a dough-mixing machine.
- The FDA ordered the immediate closure of all manufacturing, storage, sale and distribution activities at the hotel from August 18.
- The kitchen drains were left uncovered and poorly maintained, allowing easy access for pests from municipal sewage lines.
- Officials noted severe unhygienic conditions across the kitchen, with foul smells caused by stagnant water, grease deposits, and leaking drains.
- Videos and photographs released by the FDA showed a filthy kitchen covered in layers of oil, grease, and dirt.
- Cooking counters, utensils, and storage units were found heavily soiled.
- Food containers were covered with mud and dust, while several utensils showed signs of rust.
- Inspectors found an open dustbin filled with waste placed directly beneath a toaster used for preparing food.
- Food safety concerns have come under scrutiny in Mumbai after the FDA found serious hygiene violations in the kitchen of Hotel Radha.
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken decisive action against Hotel Radha in Malad, Mumbai, suspending its food business licence due to alarming hygiene violations discovered during an inspection on August 18.2
Inspectors found live rats and cockroaches in the kitchen, with rats spotted near the ceiling and entering through open drainage lines.4
The kitchen's drains were uncovered and poorly maintained, allowing pests easy access from municipal sewage.
Additionally, cockroaches were crawling over food preparation equipment, including a dough-mixing machine.
The inspection revealed severe unhygienic conditions, with foul smells from stagnant water, grease deposits, and leaking drains.8
Videos and photographs released by the FDA depicted a filthy kitchen covered in layers of oil, grease, and dirt, with cooking counters and utensils heavily soiled.910
Food containers were found covered in mud and dust, and several utensils showed signs of rust.11
Notably, a toaster was found placed directly atop an open dustbin filled with waste, raising serious food safety concerns.12
The FDA ordered the immediate closure of all food-related activities at the hotel, invoking Section 32(3) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.36
This action is part of a broader initiative by the Maharashtra FDA to enforce food safety regulations across the state, following recent inspections that uncovered similar violations at various establishments.1
In a recent crackdown, the FDA inspected 31 establishments, seizing food products worth around ₹25 lakh and suspending five food business licences.
“The FDA invoked Section 32(3) of the FSS Act, 2006, and ordered immediate closure of all food-related activities at Hotel Radha from August 18. This action is part of a statewide drive that recently saw officials inspect 31 establishments, seize products worth ₹25 lakh, and suspend five licences.”
