TG SAFE Cracks Down on Hyderabad Eateries; 11 FSSAI Licences Suspended

Hyderabad's food safety watchdog has taken enforcement action against a string of eateries after a weekend inspection drive across the city's western corridor. The Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG SAFE) inspected 20 restaurants in Madhapur, Hitec City and Gachibowli on Saturday, deploying ten teams drawn from its Enforcement Wing, including Food Safety Officers and police personnel, in the Core Urban Region.

Eleven establishments had their FSSAI licences suspended and were told to halt operations with immediate effect in the interest of public health. They are Monastery, Shivani The Restaurant and Bar, Al Saba Restaurant, Lucky Multicuisine Restaurant, Sai Ram Mess, Udupi's Upahar, Coal Spark Multi Cuisine Restaurant, Kanchi Cafe, Antera Kitchen and Bar, Am Aha Telugu Kitchen and Bar, and Fusion 9/Amnesia Sky Bar.

Six restaurants will receive improvement notices for lapses found during the checks: Rameshwaram Cafe in Madhapur, Hotel Shadab, Shah Ghouse Hotel and Restaurant in Gachibowli, Ishtaa, Sahibs Barbeque and Pakka Local. These premises will be re-inspected to confirm compliance with food safety norms before any further action is decided.

Show-cause notices are also being issued to 63 Degrees Modern Regional Buffet, Minerva Grand and Hotel Avasa, with proceedings to follow for the imposition of penalties.

The violations documented during the drive included cockroach and rodent infestation, fungal contamination of vegetables, unlabelled products, dirty kitchen floors and unhygienic wash areas. Inspectors also found prepared food stored alongside vegetarian and non-vegetarian articles in refrigerators.

Twenty-one food samples were lifted on suspicion of adulteration, the authority said.