58 hostels raided in Hyderabad, found flouting fire & food safety norms

HYDERABAD: A major crackdown by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) revealed violations in several private hostels operating across key city areas, including Ameerpet, Ashok Nagar, and Dilsukhnagar.The hostels, which cater to working professionals and students, were found to be flouting food safety, sanitation, fire safety, and urban planning norms.In a series of surprise inspections conducted by GHMC's food safety wing and special task force, 58 hostels were raided on Friday. Of these, 30 were served notices for serious violations, five kitchens were shut down, and fines totalling 2.45 lakh were imposed under the GHMC Act, 1955. Violations ranged from using cellar and parking areas as kitchens to serving substandard food prepared in unhygienic conditions. Many hostels were overcrowded, lacked proper toilet facilities, and were found to be dumping waste in public areas.In Dilsukhnagar, 23 hostels were inspected. Two were closed for operating without an FSSAI license, and 11 were fined 23,000 for lacking trade licenses. Ashok Nagar saw 20 inspections, resulting in notices to seven establishments and closures of two kitchens. Meanwhile, in Ameerpet, all 15 hostels inspected lacked trade licenses; one kitchen was shut and a total fine of 1.8 lakh was levied.Common issues included unclean walls and ceilings, greasy exhausts, open dustbins, housefly infestations, improper food handling, and patchy flooring with water stagnation. Alarmingly, some hostels had toilets opening directly into kitchen areas, and others were found to be operating without mandatory licenses. The GHMC has stated that these raids will continue in other areas and urged hostel operators to adhere strictly to food safety and hygiene regulations.