The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of Maharashtra has suspended the food licence of the rapid‑commerce platform Blinkit in Pune’s Balewadi region for failing to comply with regulations.
This action follows increased surveillance of dark‑pool businesses due to concerns about food safety and hygiene in these facilities.
Suresh Annapure, joint commissioner, FDA Pune, told The Indian Express that the action was initiated on June 5 after an inspection team discovered poor storage conditions at a facility owned by Energy Darkstore Services, a Blinkit last‑mile warehousing partner.
“We have asked for proper documents to be submitted to issue a licence. There are non‑compliance issues and, without permission, they have been operating the store in the Baner‑Balewadi area,” Annapure said.
The Maharashtra FDA initiated an investigation and found that the facility lacked a licence from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to manufacture, distribute or sell food.
Consequently, the facility’s food‑business licence was suspended until the required licence under section 31(1) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, is obtained.
Despite not having a permit, the Blinkit facility, operated by M/s Energy Darkstore Services near Mitcon College in Balewadi, continued to store and sell food.
In the same decision, the authorities noted that the facility had also violated food‑safety regulations. They found food stored on the floor, a missing pest‑control audit certificate, personnel in the food section not wearing protective caps, food placed on dusty racks and no calibration certificate in the cold‑storage room.
A similar investigation was conducted last week at the Dharavi location of the rapid‑commerce platform Zepto, and its food‑business licence was suspended after violations of food‑safety requirements were identified. According to an FDA press release, the infractions included fungal growth on food articles, food storage near stagnant water, failure to maintain cold‑storage temperature and expired food items mixed with the main stock.
Zepto Crackdown
The FDA’s action is part of a broader crackdown on unsafe food‑storage practices across the state. Earlier this month, it suspended the food‑business licence of Zepto’s parent company, Kiranakart Technologies, due to violations found at its dark store in Mumbai’s Dharavi.
Food Safety Officer Ram Bodke conducted the inspection on instructions from minister of state for FDA Yogesh Kadam and under the supervision of Mangesh Mane, joint commissioner of food. According to the FDA, the investigation revealed multiple violations of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and related licensing requirements.
