Food safety teams find rats and cockroaches at Gajularamaram Zepto and Platform 65

On June 23, food safety teams from the Cyberabad Municipal Corporation (CMC) uncovered severe hygiene and licensing violations during inspections at a Zepto warehouse in Gajularamaram and the Platform 65 restaurant in PNR Empire, Hyderabad. The inspections were launched to ensure public safety, following a specific citizen complaint against the warehouse.

At the Zepto warehouse in Gajularamaram, which was inspected after a citizen alleged the supply of expired milk products, officials found the facility displaying an expired Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) licence instead of its renewed version. Inside the storage facility, inspectors observed a live cockroach infestation, rusted storage racks, and poor housekeeping beneath the shelves.

The warehouse also suffered from inadequate spacing between walls and racks, which made thorough cleaning difficult. Inspectors noted greasy flooring and carton boxes obstructing the washing area. Furthermore, the warehouse management failed to maintain mandatory records regarding employee medical fitness, pest control measures, and cleaning schedules. During the inspection, officials found and discarded a chicken packet that lacked a legible use-by date. The food safety team recommended issuing an improvement notice directing the management to immediately upgrade its hygiene, housekeeping, documentation, and storage practices.

Major public health hazards were also detected at the Platform 65 restaurant located in PNR Empire. During their visit, inspectors observed live rats inside the restaurant premises and found kitchen drains clogged with food particles.

Additionally, dustbins at the restaurant were left open, stale food was stored inside freezers, and various food items were left uncovered, creating a risk of cross-contamination. The CMC food safety team also noted inadequate freezer maintenance and a failure to properly segregate vegetarian and non-vegetarian food products. Citing the severity of these violations, the officials recommended the immediate suspension of the establishment’s FSSAI licence and ordered corrective measures.