FDA Takes Action Against Iconic Mumbai Restaurants for Hygiene Violations

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the food business licences of three Mumbai-based restaurants—Shalimar Hospitality Pvt Ltd, Noor Mohammadi Hotel and Rehmania Restaurant—following inspections that allegedly identified multiple violations of food safety and hygiene regulations.

The action has been taken under the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011, and comes days after the FDA suspended the licence of Mumbai's K Rustom & Co over food safety concerns.

According to the FDA, Shalimar Hospitality Pvt Ltd's licence was suspended on July 14 after a reinspection found that 25 deficiencies identified during an inspection in April had not been rectified. The alleged violations included wet and slippery kitchen floors, absence of records relating to raw materials and edible oil quality, failure to conduct drinking water quality tests, inadequate segregation of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, and open windows without insect-proof screens.

Noor Mohammadi Hotel, which completed 100 years in 2024 and is known for dishes such as Nalli Nihari and Chicken Sanju Baba, also received an immediate licence suspension. The FDA alleged that inspectors found thick layers of oil on kitchen floors, open windows that allowed flies, insects and crows near the kebab preparation area, peeling paint and greasy walls, unhygienic storage of raw materials, use of old and unclean utensils, absence of supplier records, lack of drinking water quality records, and inadequate pest control measures.

Khalid Hakim, who represents the third generation of the family running Noor Mohammadi Hotel, said, "We have received a letter, it says we got 45 marks out of 100. I don't know anything about suspension. I have just reached the shop, will have better understanding in some time."

The FDA also suspended the licence of Rehmania Restaurant in Umarkhadi after inspectors allegedly found inadequate storage of food items, chemicals and packaging materials, rusted equipment, peeling plaster and paint on walls and ceilings, doors without insect-proofing, and the absence of mandatory food safety and drinking water quality records.

The food safety authority stated that the licences were suspended under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, after the establishments allegedly failed to comply with prescribed food safety and hygiene requirements.

The latest action highlights the ongoing regulatory scrutiny of food service establishments in Mumbai as authorities continue inspections aimed at ensuring compliance with food safety standards across the hospitality sector.