Inspections also carried out on September 3 at three food establishments at ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), Hare Krishna Land, Juhu, an official release said. Photo: X/@PTI_News
An IRCTC-linked base kitchen supplying food to railway passengers and three food establishments operating at International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Juhu have had their licences suspended after Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspections found live cockroaches, rodent droppings and a series of hygiene and food-safety violations.At R.K. Associates & Hoteliers Pvt. Ltd. in Kurla West, inspectors allegedly found live cockroaches in food storage and processing areas, uncovered food and food being prepared near open garbage. The establishment supplies food to railway passengers through a base kitchen operating under IRCTC.The FDA also found that one employee was handling food despite having an injured finger, while medical fitness certificates were available for only 21 of the kitchen’s 34 food handlers. Utensils and food-contact equipment were allegedly unclean and rusted, while vehicles used to transport food were also found in poor condition.The kitchen, inspected on Wednesday (September 2, 2026) and classified as “non-compliant”, was ordered to stop food preparation, supply and sales after its licence was suspended.Four other establishments supplying food to railway passengers in Mumbai and Thane were issued improvement notices during the FDA inspections.In a separate action, licences of three food establishments operating at ISKCON in Juhu were suspended following inspections on September 3.At ISKCON Food Services Restaurant, inspectors allegedly found rodent droppings in storage rooms and drains clogged with food waste. The FDA also flagged inadequate segregation of raw and cooked food and vegetarian and non-vegetarian items, posing a risk of cross-contamination.At the ISKCON Base Kitchen at Hare Krishna Land, inspectors reported pest activity, improper segregation of food and non-food items, inadequate cleaning and deficiencies in testing water used for food preparation.At Govindas Restaurant, also at Hare Krishna Land, inspectors found stagnant water in a cold-storage area, clogged drains and evidence of pests. The FDA also cited deficiencies in food segregation, drinking-water testing and staff medical records.The licences of all three establishments were suspended following the inspections.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. Published - September 09, 2026 01:51 pm IST
