Cockroaches, rodent droppings: FDA suspends licences of IRCTC, ISKCON kitchens

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday (Sep 8) has suspended the licences of an IRCTC-linked base kitchen in Mumbai and three food establishments operating at the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Juhu after inspections found serious hygiene and food-safety violations.

At R.K. Associates & Hoteliers Pvt. Ltd. in Kurla West, which supplies food to railway passengers through an IRCTC-linked base kitchen, inspectors allegedly found live cockroaches in food storage and processing areas. Uncovered food was also found being prepared near open garbage, according to the FDA.

The inspection on September 2 found the establishment “non-compliant”, following which the FDA ordered it to stop food preparation, supply and sales.

Problems found at railway kitchen

Inspectors also found one employee handling food despite an injured finger. Medical fitness certificates were available for only 21 of the kitchen’s 34 food handlers, the FDA said.

Unclean and rusted utensils and food-contact equipment were also flagged, while vehicles used to transport food were reportedly found in poor condition.

Four other establishments supplying food to railway passengers in Mumbai and Thane were issued improvement notices during the inspections.

Three ISKCON outlets lose licences

The FDA separately suspended the licences of three food establishments at ISKCON in Juhu following inspections on September 3.

At ISKCON Food Services Restaurant, inspectors allegedly found rodent droppings in storage rooms, clogged drains and food waste. The agency also flagged inadequate segregation of raw and cooked food, as well as vegetarian and non-vegetarian items, raising concerns over cross-contamination.

At the ISKCON Base Kitchen at Hare Krishna Land, inspectors reported pest activity, poor segregation of food and non-food items, inadequate cleaning and deficiencies in testing water used for food preparation.

Govindas Restaurant was also found with stagnant water in a cold-storage area, clogged drains and evidence of pests, alongside deficiencies in food segregation, drinking-water testing and staff medical records.

FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said the State government was taking a strict approach to food-safety violations and that practices endangering public health would not be tolerated.