Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the food licences of three eateries inside the ISKCON temple complex in Juhu, including the iconic Govinda’s Restaurant, after inspections found serious hygiene violations and pest infestations.
The regulatory strike, steered by FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, revealed that kitchens long trusted for their sattvic meals were harbouring choked drains, stagnant wastewater pooling near cold storage areas, and active insect activity.
Food safety officers inspecting the premises on September 3, 2026, discovered raw, semi-cooked, and prepared food stacked without segregation, sparking acute cross-contamination risks. Grease and cockroach traps were missing, cooking oil remained untested, and storerooms contained insect droppings.
A storage space in the eatery, where clothes can be seen amid sacks of groceries
Several kitchen staff members handled food without aprons, gloves, or valid medical fitness certificates. All three Juhu temple facilities remain barred from preparing or selling food until full compliance is met.
Zepto facilities shut
At quick-commerce giant Zepto’s dark store in Malad West, food inspectors walked into live cockroaches nesting inside egg crates and crawling over beverage prep tables. Highly perishable dairy items like paneer, milk, and curd were kept in failing refrigeration units at 15.8 degrees C, causing packages to swell and spoil. The hub had no piped potable tap water, forcing cooks to use 20-litre jars while wading through open sewage lines, prompting an immediate license suspension. Zepto’s Kalwa hub in Thane was also suspended after inspectors discovered expired goods stocked.
Kitchens closed
In Goregaon East, Maharashtra Biryani Centre had its licence revoked after officers spotted insect movement across the dining hall following ignored warning notices.
In Ghatkopar, Bombay’s The Food Fusion Cafe was recommended for suspension after an inspection found uncovered cooked rice stored directly next to raw, open chicken. Meanwhile, in Kurla, an IRCTC base kitchen operated by RK Associates lost its licence after officers discovered a food handler working with an open, unbandaged finger wound, alongside rusted utensils and pest-ridden storage.
No replies
An ISKCON representative confirmed that the action had been taken by the FDA but declined to comment further. He said the temple’s manager would get in touch with the newspaper. However, till the press time, mid-day had not received any call or message.
“IRCTC has completed the necessary corrective measures at the Kurla Base Kitchen in accordance with the prescribed standards. Operations at the kitchen will resume tomorrow. Necessary corrective measures at the remaining locations are currently in progress,” an IRCTC spokesperson said.
Citizen Helpline
Consumers encountering filthy eateries or spoilt dark-store deliveries can register complaints on toll-free number 1800 222 365 or at complaints.mahafda.in
* This article was originally published here
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