Tukaram Mundhe, Maharashtra’s food safety commissioner, has launched an aggressive campaign against poor hygiene and unsafe food practices across Mumbai, drawing widespread public attention through a series of high-profile raids.

Since taking charge in May, Mundhe and his teams have conducted more than 3,000 inspections and raids involving restaurants, hotels, cricket clubs, food outlets and other businesses.

The campaign has also targeted major food chains, with permits suspended at several Domino’s and Pizza Hut outlets following alleged hygiene violations.

Surprise Inspections Become Public Spectacle

Mundhe’s inspection teams have attracted attention by publicly sharing details and images from their raids.

Photographs from some inspections have shown dirty walls, cockroaches, rats and expired food products inside eateries and storage facilities.

The images have quickly spread online, turning the food safety commissioner into a widely recognised figure among Mumbai residents.

Mundhe has defended his approach, saying businesses that fail to follow food safety rules should face regulatory action because food violations can directly affect people’s health and safety.

Street Food Vendors Change Their Practices

Mumbai’s restaurants and street food vendors have begun changing their practices in response to the increased inspections.

Some vendors have replaced artificial food colouring with natural ingredients, while others have increased the frequency with which they change cooking oil.

Several businesses have also introduced gloves and head coverings for workers.

Popular street food has also come under scrutiny. In June, authorities prohibited vendors from using newspapers to wrap vada pav, citing concerns about food safety and contamination.

Cleaner packaging has since become more common among some vendors.

Public Support Grows

Mundhe’s actions have received strong public support, with many consumers saying they have long been concerned about hygiene standards in restaurants and roadside food outlets.

Government data shows that food inspectors across India have tested more than 100,000 food samples annually since 2020. Around one-fifth of those samples have been classified as unsafe, substandard or improperly labelled.

Nearly 8,000 food business licences have also been cancelled over the past three years.

Consumer industry observers say the crackdown has tapped into frustration among people who believe poor food hygiene has been tolerated for too long.

Action Against Major Food Chains

The campaign has included inspections of several major international and local food businesses.

Mundhe’s teams recently suspended permits at four Domino’s outlets and one Pizza Hut outlet over alleged hygiene violations.

An additional McDonald’s outlet was also targeted after inspectors reportedly found pest activity involving cockroaches and rotting food.

The companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the findings.

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Cricket Clubs and Historic Businesses Also Inspected

Mundhe’s crackdown has not been limited to fast-food restaurants.

His department has taken action against a Mumbai cricket club, a decades-old ice cream business and a historic Parsi dairy.

The wide scope of the inspections has reinforced Mundhe’s message that food safety regulations should apply across the industry regardless of a business’s reputation or history.

Businesses Raise Concerns Over Enforcement

Not everyone has welcomed the campaign.

Some businesses argue that authorities should provide more time for establishments to correct violations rather than immediately suspending permits.

Several businesses have approached the High Court, accusing the department of taking an overly aggressive approach.

In one case, a court imposed a 500,000-rupee fine on the department after an eatery’s licence remained suspended despite improvements in compliance.

Mundhe said his department takes judicial observations seriously and is prepared to make improvements where necessary.

Mundhe Gains Celebrity Status

The food safety commissioner’s strict approach has turned him into an unlikely public figure.

His long career as an Indian Administrative Service officer has included multiple transfers, but Mundhe has continued to portray himself as an official willing to take action against businesses that violate regulations.

At a public event in New Delhi, people reportedly approached him for photographs and handshakes, with one admirer even suggesting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should give him a national-level role.

For Mumbai’s food industry, however, Mundhe’s growing popularity has also brought a clear warning: food businesses are facing closer scrutiny, and hygiene violations could lead to immediate regulatory action.