Pune’s iconic Camp Burger King sealed over hygiene violations

Maharashtra's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sealed the well-known Burger King outlet in Pune's Camp area and suspended its food licence after an inspection found serious hygiene deficiencies and violations of food safety norms. The restaurant, located on East Street and operating since 1992, was among several establishments facing action as the FDA intensified inspections of restaurants, hotels, dairies, quick-commerce warehouses and other food businesses across Maharashtra. The action is part of the state's "Safe Food, Safe Drug, Safe Maharashtra" campaign, being carried out on the directions of Food Safety Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe.

86 establishments checked

During a special statewide drive on August 13, FDA teams inspected 86 establishments, including conventional food businesses as well as facilities operated by quick-commerce platforms.

Authorities ordered one establishment to immediately stop operations and issued improvement notices to 60 others.

Food licences of 14 businesses were suspended. These included five facilities each associated with Blinkit and Zepto, two with Instamart and one each belonging to Bhagwati Store and Swinsta ENT Pvt Ltd.

Officials also reported finding cockroaches on racks used for storing packaged food at one of the inspected premises.

The crackdown extended to milk and other food products. The FDA seized 698 kg of milk products valued at Rs 34,302. Another 1,270 kg of food items, including dairy products, bakery products and edible oil, worth about Rs 1.29 lakh were also seized.

Action against banned products

The FDA separately intensified action against the sale, distribution and transportation of prohibited products such as gutkha and pan masala.

Ten FIRs were registered, nine people were arrested and banned products worth Rs 46.76 lakh were seized during the drive.

The overall value of banned and other food products seized during the action was pegged at Rs 46.89 lakh.

Officials also inspected 109 hotels, restaurants and dhabas. Of these, 49 received improvement notices, while the licences of four establishments were suspended.

Pune outlets face action

In the Pune division, inspections conducted between August 11 and 14 covered restaurants, hotels, dairies and e-commerce establishments. Licences or registrations of 16 businesses were immediately suspended after inspectors detected significant hygiene and food safety violations.

Besides the Camp Burger King, establishments facing action included Hotel Sayaji in Lonavala, Hotel Chul Mutton in Lohegaon, Simply South in Bhosari, Hotel Pawan in Kolhapur, Rajesh Chinese in Sangli, and Domino's Pizza and Pizza Hut outlets in Karad.

JBM Hospitality, which operates a canteen at HDFC Bank in Pune's Wanwadi, was directed to cease operations for allegedly functioning without the required licence.

Quick-commerce facilities flagged

The inspections also brought quick-commerce warehouses under scrutiny. Facilities operated by Blinkit in Ghatkopar and Zepto in Lokhandwala were declared non-compliant.

Inspectors found shortcomings at the Zepto facility involving temperature control for perishable goods, storage arrangements for frozen products, warehouse layout and segregation of food, non-food products and hazardous substances.

The FDA has warned that businesses failing to meet prescribed food safety and hygiene requirements could face improvement notices, suspension of licences or orders to stop operations.