FDA awaits replies from restaurants at MCA premises: Tukaram Mundhe

Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration is awaiting a response from five restaurants at Mumbai Cricket Association’s (MCA) Bandra-Kurla Complex premises to the notices over third-party contracting arrangements, according to FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe.

“MCA is registered as a Food Business Operator (FBO), but the actual operator is somebody else, who does not have a license or registration,” Mr. Mundhe told PTI in an interview.

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“When we issue a license, we issue it to a particular entity, for a particular place and for a particular activity. So, if the MCA took the license and somebody else is working in its name, it is not allowed as per the law,” the senior IAS officer said.

Mr. Mundhe said the court has passed an order on whether the license taken by MCA can be operated by someone else. “We have issued the notices and will issue the order accordingly,” he said.

“There is a violation across four or five places,” Mr Mundhe said, referring to the FDA lifting the suspension on the five restaurants and bars at the MCA facility following intervention by the Bombay High Court last month.

The FDA had suspended the food licenses of Permit Room, Pavilion, Mediterranean, Oriental Swing, and Clubway & Pastry Counter. The initial closure notice was based on hygiene lapses and structural violations.

The restaurants were being run by a third-party contractor (Shirke Infrastructure), while the FBO licenses were under the MCA’s name.

“They need to take a license and (only) those who take a license can operate. If some operator needs to, they have to take a license and they can operate,” Mr. Mundhe said.

“We have issued notices as per the court directive, and will pass the order once a reply is received,” the FDA chief said.