Mumbai, Jan 09: Even as V. N. Desai Hospital in Santacruz (east) continues to face criticism over alleged lapses in patient care and hygiene, a fresh regulatory violation has come to light. The hospital’s in-house canteen, catering to patients and staff, was found to be operating without a valid food safety licence for nearly ten months, raising serious questions about administrative oversight.
Complaint triggers inspection
The issue surfaced after health activist Chetan Kothari lodged a complaint through the Aaple Sarkar portal, flagging the alleged violation. Acting on the complaint, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) conducted an online inspection via its FoSCoS portal on January 6, 2026.
Licence expired, legal action initiated
The inspection revealed that the canteen’s food safety licence (No. 11524005000112) had expired on March 22, 2025, but operations continued without renewal, in clear violation of the Food Safety and Standards Act. Following the findings, the Food Safety Officer ordered the immediate closure of the canteen and initiated legal proceedings against the operator.
Hospital under scrutiny
This development adds to a growing list of concerns surrounding the hospital. In recent months, V. N. Desai Hospital has been in the spotlight over issues related to patient treatment, including allegations of a fake doctor being employed and unhygienic toilet conditions within the premises. The discovery of an unlicensed canteen functioning inside the hospital has further intensified scrutiny of the institution’s internal controls.
Staff alleges administrative lapses
A senior hospital employee, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that the hospital administration shares equal responsibility for allowing the canteen to function despite the expired licence. The employee further claimed that the former medical superintendent rarely conducted hospital rounds, with inspections often delegated to a medical officer merely as a formality.
Hospital response
When contacted by the Free Press Journal, Dr. Mayura Nagale, who recently took charge as the medical superintendent, confirmed that the canteen has now been shut down. She added that the hospital has already invited tenders to appoint a new contractor to operate the canteen in compliance with regulatory norms.
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Activists seek wider probe
However, health activists said the incident has highlighted systemic gaps in monitoring and compliance within the hospital. “Authorities are expected to widen the probe to examine the role and accountability of the hospital management in allowing the violation to continue for such an extended period,” said Kothari.
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