Mumbai, August 15, 2026: In a surprise move, Satkar Caterers, which operated the canteen at the Hindu Hruday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Trauma Care Municipal General Hospital in Jogeshwari East, withdrew its services on August 3, citing non-compliance with statutory licence requirements. The move has raised questions over how the canteen was allowed to operate despite alleged gaps in mandatory permissions.
In a letter to the hospital's Medical Superintendent, the caterer said it was withdrawing its services with immediate effect as it could not complete the required statutory compliances, including FSSAI, health and fire-related permissions.
However, a representative of Satkar Caterers told the Free Press Journal that the key issue was the absence of a valid agreement with the BMC. “We had requested an agreement letter from the BMC to complete compliance requirements, including the fire safety licence and other permissions. However, we did not receive it. In its absence, we could not complete the necessary compliances and therefore decided to move out,” he said.
Hospital Administration Disputes Claim
The hospital administration disputed the claim. Medical Superintendent Dr Niranjan Kshirsagar said the caterer was asked to produce the necessary licences and permissions but failed to do so.
“We had asked them to apply for all the necessary licences and submit the documents, but they were reluctant. The caterer ultimately left the canteen as it failed to comply with the statutory requirements,” he said.
The administration also said that a memo had been issued by the Medical Health Officer over various violations. A civic official alleged that the caterer had occupied space on the hospital premises without proper authorisation, allegedly in connivance with a former hospital official, resulting in revenue loss to the BMC over the past four to five years.
FDA Enforcement Brings Issue To Light
The issue came to light amid the Food and Drug Administration's intensified enforcement against food safety violations. According to a civic official, the canteen operator was asked to produce all necessary approvals as a precautionary measure, following which several alleged lapses came to light.
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Health activist Chetan Kothari questioned how the caterer was allowed to operate for years if it lacked mandatory permissions. “There must be an investigation into how the canteen continued to operate for years without all the necessary documents,” he said.
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