Maharashtra FDA Suspends Licences of Olympia Coffee House, Nair Hospital Canteen

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has suspended the licences of 14 food establishments across the state, including the iconic 108-year-old Olympia Coffee House in Colaba and the canteen at Nair Hospital in Mumbai Central, following inspections that uncovered serious hygiene and food safety violations.

At Olympia Coffee House, the action followed a consumer complaint. Inspectors found a urinal inside the food storage area, an infestation of cockroaches and flies, and meat and blood residues in the refrigerator. The regulator also flagged unhygienic food preparation and utensil-washing facilities, food being handled directly on the floor, and the use of unclean water. Raw vegetarian and non-vegetarian items were not properly segregated, damaged wooden chopping boards were in use, and food handlers lacked appropriate protective clothing.

Of the 35 food handlers at the establishment, 34 had not undergone the mandatory food safety training, the FDA said. Mandatory water testing reports and essential sanitation records were also unavailable.

The Nair Hospital canteen, run by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation at one of the city's largest public hospitals, had its licence suspended immediately over food safety breaches.

The two are among 14 establishments whose licences were suspended out of 27 inspected. Others on the list include a Blinkit store in Chembur; Vishwas Sweets and Snacks, and A-1 General & Dry Fruits in Ghatkopar; Milan Punjab in Worli; Sadguru Sweets in Malad (East); and P4B Technologies Service Private Limited in Kharghar, Raigad. Four restaurants in Pune district and two in Nagpur also faced action.

In Pune and western Maharashtra, action was taken against Rangala Punjab in Pashan, Manisha Dosa Center in Karvenagar, Hotel New Nityanand and Ice Cream in Ambegaon, and Manas Family Restaurant in Wai, Satara, which the FDA said had ignored earlier improvement notices. In Nagpur, Superbaker, operating as EMRLD Coffee Shop in Dharampeth, and Surahi Restaurant & Bar in Nandanvan lost their licences.

In July this year, filmmaker Christopher Nolan and actors Tom Holland and Matt Damon had visited Olympia Coffee House for a quick tea stop before their film 'Odyssey' premiere in Mumbai, having tea with bun maska and desserts.

As part of a campaign run through the festive season, the FDA seized 2,813 kg of milk and dairy products worth Rs 7,38,230 across the state. The stock comprised khoya, mawa and paneer suspected to be adulterated, seized in Mumbai, Konkan, Pune, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Nashik. A further Rs 4.66 lakh worth of suspected adulterated and substandard items was seized, including namkeen, jaggery, supari and toddy.

In Thane and Mira Road, more than 2,300 kg of substandard mawa and loose khoya worth over Rs 5.85 lakh was seized. The consignment was being brought from Gujarat in passenger buses without the temperature controls required for dairy transport. In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, the FDA seized 1,221 kg of unlicensed sweets suspected to be adulterated, including halwa and mawa-based sweets, worth Rs 1.92 lakh, stored in unhygienic conditions near Panchavati Hotel.

Seizures and 'stop business' notices were also issued against Bikaner Sweets in Mangalwedha, Solapur; Chaudhari Bandhu Mithaiwale in Karad; and Rajasthan Sweets in Sangli and Ahilyanagar.

Separately, in Nagpur, the FDA intercepted two transport vehicles carrying banned gutkha and scented tobacco worth Rs 12.10 lakh. Three people were arrested.