Kolkata restaurant licence suspension
Kolkata has stepped up its food safety crackdown ahead of Durga Puja, with the municipal authorities temporarily suspending (Kolkata restaurant licence suspension) the food licences of 40 restaurants and food establishments over alleged violations of safety and hygiene norms.
The list includes several well-known names, including Arsalan, Karim’s, Nizam’s and Shimla Biryani, besides a number of sweet shops. The action followed a week-long inspection drive across the city by food safety officials and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.
According to Kolkata Municipal Corporation administrator Smita Pandey, food safety officials inspected 592 establishments during the week-long drive. The inspections covered restaurants, sweet shops, food outlets and food courts across different parts of Kolkata.
Around 1,224 kg of food was destroyed during the drive, while samples were also collected for further examination. Officials reportedly found problems ranging from poor hygiene and improper storage to stale food and fungal contamination.
The inspection teams also examined kitchens and storage facilities to assess whether food was being handled and stored in accordance with safety requirements. In one establishment, officials reportedly found cockroaches inside a refrigerator, while several hygiene-related problems were observed at sweet shops.
The establishments facing temporary licence suspension include Karim’s on Ripon Street, Arsalan in Nagerbazar, Shimla Biryani near the EM Bypass and Nizam’s in the Dharmatala area. Several sweet shops, including Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick and Mishtimukh, have also been named in reports on the action.
The suspension is not necessarily permanent. According to the civic authorities, the affected establishments have been given time to address the deficiencies and comply with food safety requirements. They can seek reinstatement of their licences, after which another inspection will determine whether the required standards have been met.
The crackdown comes at a significant time, with Kolkata preparing for the Durga Puja season, when restaurants, sweet shops and food outlets typically see a sharp increase in customers.
The civic authorities have indicated that food safety inspections will continue during the festive period. The focus will remain on kitchen hygiene, food storage, ingredient quality and compliance with food safety regulations.
The action has also raised concerns among Kolkata’s food-loving population, particularly because some of the establishments named in the inspection reports are popular and established brands. However, the licence suspensions represent regulatory action over alleged violations; the affected businesses will have an opportunity to rectify the reported shortcomings and undergo further inspection.
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