Shortage of 4500 food safety officers hits eatery inspections in GHMC and Cyberabad

A severe shortage of Food Safety Officers has crippled hygiene inspections at eateries across the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Cyberabad, and Malkajgiri limits. As reported on July 2, 2026, officials confirmed that over 4,500 sanctioned posts remain vacant in the Food Safety wing, severely hindering the monitoring of food safety despite a rapid growth in the number of restaurants and food businesses in these areas.

The staffing crisis has persisted over several years. According to officials, the GHMC has approached the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) department multiple times to seek recruitment for the vacant positions, but the correspondence remains awaiting approval.

Currently, the Food Safety wing is forced to conduct special drives on commercial establishments, eateries, restaurants, bakeries, and confectionery units with only a skeletal staff. Inspections of eateries near educational institutions, which were expected to begin after schools reopened, have also not yet been taken up due to the lack of personnel.

The issue is particularly acute in the Cyberabad Municipal Corporation (CMC) limits, where the local Food Safety wing must rely on decentralized teams allotted by the GHMC. Despite a recent surge in the number of food establishments ranging from street food hubs to star hotels in Cyberabad, monitoring for violations of the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSS Act), 2006, has been less than effective.

A similar situation is prevailing within the Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation (MMC) limits, where staff shortages continue to stall routine inspections.

While the GHMC recently provided training to 300 street food vendors last month, officials noted there is still no clear plan on how the civic body will monitor whether these vendors actually adhere to food safety and hygiene practices.

Although a series of raids and inspections have been conducted recently against hotels, supermarkets, and grocery units, officials conceded that the rapid physical expansion of the city and the rising number of eateries require a much larger workforce to ensure public health standards.