Cockroaches, flies found at Mumbai's iconic clubs; Cricket Club of India, MIG, Willingdon & Juhu Gymkhana lose food licences

Mumbai's premier social and sports clubs, including the Cricket Club of India (CCI), MIG Cricket Club, Willingdon Sports Club and Juhu Gymkhana, have come under the scanner after the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suspended their FSSAI licences over serious food safety and hygiene violations.

The crackdown followed inspections at several high-end clubs and restaurants across Mumbai, where officials found issues ranging from cockroach infestations and mouldy food to poor sanitation, improper food storage and the absence of basic food safety protocols.

The FDA suspended the food licences of CCI, RK Juhu Gymkhana, The Aparna at Juhu Gymkhana, MIG Cricket Club, Willingdon Sports Club and Purnima Restaurant in Fort. It also issued a Stop Business Notice to Goregaon Sports Club for operating without the mandatory FSSAI registration or licence.


Also Read: Maharashtra FDA suspends food licences of 3 Mumbai restaurants over hygiene issues

Among the most serious violations were live cockroaches and flies inside kitchens, mouldy vegetables, expired food items, stagnant water, blocked drains and the failure to segregate vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, increasing the risk of cross-contamination.

At the Cricket Club of India, inspectors found heavy infestation of cockroaches and flies in food handling and waste disposal areas, water dripping directly onto stored food inside cold storage, mouldy vegetables, overripe mushrooms and expired food items. The kitchen also lacked separate preparation areas for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, while utensils were kept directly on the floor and food-contact equipment was found covered in grease, sludge and dirt.

At MIG Cricket Club in Bandra East, the FDA found that an unauthorised third-party catering agency, Nebula Catering Services, was operating without a valid FSSAI licence. Inspectors also reported live cockroaches, spider webs, improper storage of raw and cooked food, and the absence of mandatory medical records for food handlers.

Willingdon Sports Club was pulled up for unhygienic flooring, poor sewer maintenance, inadequate temperature monitoring, outdated food and water testing reports and poor personal hygiene practices among food handlers.

At RK Juhu Gymkhana, officials found damaged walls and ceilings, poor kitchen drainage, inadequate hygiene facilities, improper storage of cooked food and the absence of records for frying oil usage. Food handlers were also found working without gloves, caps or aprons.

Similar lapses were found at The Aparna inside Juhu Gymkhana, where rusted cooking equipment, pest infestation, lack of food segregation and the absence of food safety audits were among the violations recorded.

The FDA also suspended the licence of Purnima Restaurant in Fort after inspectors found fungal growth on vegetables, heavy fly infestation, stagnant wastewater, unhygienic drains, faulty refrigeration units, and food handlers preparing food barefoot and while wearing jewellery.

Meanwhile, Goregaon Sports Club in Malad West was directed to immediately stop its food business after officials found it was operating without the mandatory FSSAI registration or licence, in violation of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011.

The action is part of Maharashtra FDA's ongoing drive to tighten compliance with food safety norms and ensure hygienic food preparation and handling at restaurants, clubs and other food establishments across the state.