Pune: Blinkit’s Baner-Balewadi Facility Sealed by FDA for Licence and Safety Lapses
Pune, June 9: Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the food business licence of a Blinkit-affiliated dark store in Pune’s Baner-Balewadi area following serious violations of food safety norms and regulatory non-compliance.
According to a report by The Economic Times, the FDA conducted an inspection on June 5 at the facility operated by M/s Energy Darkstore Services near Mitcon College. Authorities discovered that the store was running without mandatory approvals from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), as required under Section 31(1) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Joint Commissioner (FDA), Pune, Suresh Annapure, confirmed that the store was operating without a valid food business licence. “There are non-compliance issues. The store was functioning without permission. We have asked for proper documentation to be submitted before re-inspection,” he said.
The inspection report detailed several hygiene and safety lapses, including:
- Food items stored directly on the floor
- Absence of pest control certification
- Workers handling food without protective gear
- Dust-covered storage racks
- Cold storage unit lacking calibration certification
Food Safety Officer Laxmikant Sawale stated that the facility failed to comply with Schedule 4 of the FSS Act, which mandates hygienic and sanitary practices for food business operators. “We have asked them to submit a compliance report. A re-inspection will follow before any further decision is made,” he added.
This move comes as part of a wider crackdown on quick-commerce “dark stores” across Maharashtra. Earlier this month, Zepto’s parent company, Kiranakart Technologies, faced similar action when its dark store in Mumbai’s Dharavi was sealed over severe safety lapses.
The inspection in Pune was carried out by Food Safety Officer Ram Bodke under the supervision of Joint Commissioner Mangesh Mane, following directives from Minister of State for FDA, Yogesh Kadam.
Violations such as fungal contamination on food items, unclean floors, stagnant water, and disorganized storage conditions were also cited in the FDA’s report, raising serious concerns about public health and food safety standards in these quick-commerce facilities.
