TG SAFE teams inspected 16 dark stores belonging to Swiggy Instamart, Flipkart, Zepto, and Dropx Logistics in the Core Urban Region (CURE), uncovering various food safety violations, collecting 15 samples, issuing notices, and suspending four FSSAI licences

Mouli Mareedu Hyderabad

TheTG SAFE, consisting of Food Safety Officers and police personnel, inspected 16 dark stores of Kwickbox Retail Private Limited (Swiggy Instamart), Instakart Services Private Limited (Flipkart), Zepto Private Limited and Dropx Logistics in the Core Urban Region (CURE).

During the course of inspection, officials noticed violations at Kwickbox Retail Private Limited (Swiggy Instamart) stores at Pet Basheerabad, Chintal, Nizampet, Gajularamaram, Shalibanda and Saidabad; Instakart Services Private Limited (Flipkart) stores at Kompally, Chintal, Gajularamaram, Chandulal Baradari, Charminar, Chowk Mohammed Khan, Pathar Gatti, Charminar, Edi Bazar, Moosarambagh and Rethi Galli, Golconda; Zepto Private Limited at Ram Koti, Hyderabad; and Dropx Logistics at Nizampet.

During the inspection, officials found violations including unhygienic premises with dusty and rusted racks, cobwebs, improper flooring, damaged and expired food articles, violations in handling and storage of food articles, spoiled vegetables with fungal infestation, violations of FSS Labelling and Display Regulations, cockroach infestation, pest-infested food articles and improper maintenance of cold-room temperature.

Officials collected 15 samples on suspicion of adulteration and served notices on Instakart Services Private Limited (Flipkart) stores at Chintal and Gajularamaram and Kwickbox Retail Private Limited (Swiggy Instamart) at Chintal for rectification of the lapses identified during the inspection. The establishments will be revisited to verify compliance with food safety norms, and further action will be taken based on the reinspection.

Show-cause notices will be issued to five establishments --Kwickbox Retail Private Limited (Swiggy Instamart) at Nizampet, Gajularamaram and Shah Ali Banda, and Instakart Services Private Limited (Flipkart) at Moosarambagh and Rethi Galli, Golconda --for the violations reported during the inspections. Further action will be initiated for imposing penalties. The FSSAI licences of four establishments have been suspended, with instructions to stop business operations immediately in the interest of public health.