Pune: After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suspended the licences of several well-known Pune eateries, including Hotel Grand Purandar, Crown Bakers, Barkat Biryani House, Royal Biryani House and Good Luck Café, over unhygienic conditions, food safety violations and expired food stock, the spotlight is now shifting to the city’s thousands of roadside food stalls.
From pani-puri and bhel to momos, Chinese food, rolls and fresh juices, roadside stalls serve thousands of Punekars every day. However, during the monsoon, many of these stalls operate inches away from overflowing drains, muddy footpaths and accumulated waste, raising questions over whether basic food-safety norms can actually be followed in such conditions.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) specifically includes petty food operators and street-food vendors under its hygiene requirements. Its Schedule 4 lays down general hygienic and sanitary practices for such businesses, while FSSAI’s Clean Street Food initiative calls for health, hygiene, safety standards and regulatory oversight of street food.
FPJ Ground Check
A ground check by The Free Press Journal found roadside food stalls across Pune operating amid waterlogging, exposed food, poor waste disposal and limited access to clean water, raising fresh concerns over food safety during the monsoon. However, conversations with vendors revealed a difficult gap between the rules and the infrastructure available to them.
On FC Road, pani-puri and chaat vendor Raju Kumar said rainwater frequently reaches his food counter. “Water streams down the ribs of the umbrella directly onto the counters. Roadside gutter water also overflows onto the pavement where customers stand. Vehicle movement splashes muddy water towards the food, forcing us to use plastic sheets and wooden planks as temporary barriers. Using gloves also makes it difficult to handle multiple things at a time, so I prefer not to put on gloves.”
Sanjay Jadhav, who runs a Frankie and Kathi roll stall on JM Road, said rain spray enters his open cooking area, which contains chopped vegetables, sauces and oil. He said, “Tarpaulin sheets are used to protect the food, but the enclosed space becomes hot and difficult to work in.”
At a Chinese food stall near a PMPML bus stop close to the PMC office, Yash Kadam said, “Waterlogging, mud and garbage around the cooking station become particularly difficult during heavy rain. Rainwater mixes with garbage thrown around the bus stop area and flows right past our cooking station.”
For juice vendors, water and waste create another contamination risk. Ayush Pawar, who operates in the Camp area, said peeled fruits have to be repeatedly covered during rain, while fruit peels and sugarcane pulp can attract flies if the waste becomes wet. “I carry water in 20-litre cans from home because my footpath stall has no continuous tap connection,” he said.
Sheetal Kumar, who operates on JM Road, said moisture can spoil puffed rice and sev, while waterlogging around the cart makes maintaining a clean working area difficult.
The vendors also face a second layer of enforcement. While food safety comes under the FDA, unauthorised occupation of footpaths can be referred to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), according to FDA officials.
Digambar Bhogawade, Joint Commissioner, FDA, Pune Division, told The Free Press Journal, “Strict action will be taken against anyone serving food in violation of safety rules and basic hygiene norms — no one will be spared. Right now, we are prioritising the 35 to 40 complaints coming in every day through our online portal and phone calls, moving systematically step-by-step to examine roadside stalls, street vendors on footpaths and food setups in narrow lanes. Depending on the severity of the violation, vendors found serving unhygienic or unsafe food face immediate improvement notices, heavy monetary fines ranging from thousands to lakhs of rupees under the Food Safety Act, seizure of adulterated inventory and suspension or cancellation of their FSSAI registration. While our focus remains strictly on food quality, water safety, and kitchen or cooking-table cleanliness, any unauthorised space occupation or footpath encroachment identified during our inspections will be referred to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for necessary action.”
