2 weeks ago
Mumbai restaurants shut for repairs as FDA crackdown intensifies
Many restaurants in Mumbai, a big city in India, have decided to close for a little while.
They are painting walls, fixing broken tiles, and cleaning very carefully.
This is because a government food-safety team, called the FDA, is checking restaurants more strictly than before.
The FDA can take away a restaurant's special permission to serve food if it finds problems.
Some restaurants closed because they wanted to avoid getting in trouble.
Workers at one restaurant now clean three times a day instead of two.
Even some government cafeterias closed to fix things.
One restaurant called K Rustom did close after the FDA checked it at night and took away its permission.
Another restaurant said it closed only for planned repairs, not because it broke rules.
The restaurant owners say the checks make them lose money, but the FDA says checking kitchens is important for safe food.
Mumbai restaurants and government canteens are voluntarily closing for repairs, repainting and deep cleaning as Maharashtra FDA enforcement intensifies.
The FDA has been suspending licences and sharing photos from premises, pushing eateries into pre-emptive renovation.
AHAR president Vijay Shetty said at least 50 per cent of member restaurants have done renovation work to avoid suspensions.
Government canteens, including at the MMRDA office and Kalina University, were also found shut during inspections.
Shree Thaker Bhojanalay said its closure was planned upgrades, while K Rustom closed 'for renovation' after an FDA raid suspended its licence.
- Who
- Restaurant owners across Mumbai, government canteens, and Maharashtra's Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- What
- Restaurants and government canteens voluntarily shutting for repairs, painting and deep cleaning as the FDA intensifies inspections and licence suspensions
- Where
- Mumbai, Maharashtra, India (including Fort, Kala Ghoda and Kalbadevi)
- When
- Ongoing, with closures reported over the past month and this week
- Why
- To avoid FDA licence suspensions and reputational damage amid intensified hygiene enforcement
Restaurant Industry
FDA Officials
Impact of the crackdown
Restaurant Industry
Restaurateurs say FDA licence suspensions and public naming-and-shaming cause significant financial loss, mental trauma and lasting harm to reputations built over decades.
FDA Officials
FDA officials say enforcement is necessary because restaurants promote themselves while ignoring hygiene where food is prepared, and welcome the industry finally 'waking up'.
Reason for closures
Restaurant Industry
Owners say closures are pre-emptive maintenance and renovation to comply with rules, not admissions of violations — Shree Thaker Bhojanalay insisted its break was planned upgrades, not FDA action.
FDA Officials
Officials note some closures follow FDA enforcement, as with K Rustom, which shut 'for renovation' only after an overnight raid and licence suspension.
Key facts
- Regulator
- Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Location
- Mumbai, Maharashtra
- AHAR restaurant members in Mumbai
- About 8,000
- Members that did renovation work
- At least 50 per cent
- FoSTaC professionals trained by HRA (Western India)
- 4,018
- Ayub's closure duration
- 4 days
- K Rustom action
- Overnight FDA raid; licence suspended
- Government canteens found shut
- MMRDA office, Mumbai Suburban District Collector's premises (BKC), Kalina University
Quotes
Vijay Shetty
President of the Indian Hotel & Restaurant Association (AHAR)
“"They are third-generation owners, their image has been built by their ancestors over decades. FDA is not only suspending licences but also naming and shaming restaurants, which is causing significant financial loss as well as a lot of harm to the reputation they have built over the years."”
indianexpress.com
An FDA official
Unnamed Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officer
“"We have seen that government canteens have shut themselves off for repair work so that they can keep their cuisine standards. It’s a good thing that restaurants are finally waking up."”
indianexpress.com
Shree Thaker Bhojanalay
Owner/management of the Mumbai restaurant Shree Thaker Bhojanalay
“"We’ve seen some reports and comments suggesting that Shree Thaker Bhojanalay has been shut down due to hygiene or food‑safety violations. This is not true. Our temporary closure is entirely for planned kitchen upgrades, repairs and some paint touch‑ups."”
indianexpress.com









