Mumbai News: BMC Tightens Food Tender Rules For 10 Peripheral Hospitals, Increases Fine And Mandates FDA Testing For Meal Quality

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has strengthened its tender norms for supplying cooked vegetarian food to patients in ten peripheral hospitals, raising the fine for substandard meals from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000, mandating FDA testing, and introducing strict punitive action for repeated violations.

The civic body has now clarified that if substandard or unsafe food is detected more than three times, the contract will be cancelled immediately, the contractor’s EMD and contract deposit will be confiscated, and the supplier will be blacklisted.

Tightened Rules After Quality Concerns

The revised conditions follow concerns highlighted by The Free Press Journal regarding weak enforcement and low penalties in earlier tenders. The BMC aims to provide breakfast, tea, and morning and evening meals—including diabetic, hypertension, salt-free, salt-restricted, and RT feed diets—to nearly 1,600 patients every day through outsourced catering.

Bidders’ Requests Rejected

During pre-bid interactions, bidders raised multiple requests, all of which were rejected by the civic administration. The demands for using space inside Kasturba Hospital for cooking, seeking a separate rate for the same hospital, and asking for relaxation in the mandatory bank deposit for 42 weeks were turned down. The BMC also made it clear that the contractor must both prepare and supply food without outsourcing any part of the work.

Mandatory FDA Testing Introduced

To ensure stronger quality control, the corporation has made FDA or FDA-recognised laboratory testing compulsory. BMC officials have been authorised to collect samples independently and send them for analysis, with the entire testing cost to be borne by the contractor.

If any sample fails to meet quality standards, penalties will be imposed on top of routine fines. Repeated failures—more than three instances of substandard food—will now trigger cancellation of the contract and blacklisting, marking a significant tightening of norms.

Alternative Supply and Women’s Reservation Clause

In case a contractor fails to supply food at any time, hospitals are permitted to procure meals from nearby caterers to avoid disruption, and 15 percent supervision charges will be recovered from the defaulting contractor’s bill.

The tender continues to offer 50 percent reservation for registered Mahila Sansthas, who may match the lowest bid, although no relaxation will be provided on operational, technical, or financial conditions.

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Hospitals Covered Under New Tender

The tender covers S.K. Patil and M.W. Desai in Malad, Harilal Bhagvati and Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule in Borivali, Diwaliben Mehta in Chembur, Pt. Madanmohan Malviya Shatabdi in Govandi, S.V.D. Savarkar in Mulund, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar in Kandivali, Rajawadi in Ghatkopar, and Kasturba Hospital in Chinchpokli.

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