Maharashtra cracks down on quick-commerce hubs

Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration has carried out a broad inspection campaign across the state’s quick-commerce food and grocery warehouses, resulting in the suspension of permits at 12 facilities. The suspended sites include five warehouses run by Eternal’s Blinkit, five operated by Zepto and two belonging to Swiggy’s Instamart.

In total, the authority said it inspected 86 establishments in the sector. Following these visits, it issued 60 improvement notices, signalling that a large portion of the checked locations were ordered to correct shortcomings in their operations.

Inspectors reported a range of hygiene issues at some of the warehouses they visited. Documented problems included cockroach infestations, rotten vegetables, rodent droppings and storage racks that were rusted or dirty, conditions that raised concerns over food safety and contamination risks.

At one Zepto warehouse in Nashik, inspectors observed delivery staff entering storage areas in street footwear. The practice was flagged as a potential source of cross-contamination between outside environments and areas where food products are stored.

Tukaram Mundhe, Maharashtra’s food safety chief, underscored the state’s firm position on food hygiene in a statement accompanying the enforcement measures. He said, "We will not tolerate any playing with public health," and warned of tougher action against unsafe food preparation and unhygienic food storage.

The statement signals that the suspended permits and improvement notices may be part of a broader push to raise and enforce standards in a fast-growing segment of India’s consumer economy. The focus is on ensuring that rapid delivery models do not compromise basic food safety norms.

In response to queries on the inspections and permit suspensions, Swiggy and Eternal, the parent of Blinkit, declined to comment, while Zepto did not respond. No detailed remediation plans from the companies were cited in the available reports.

Industry data from Datum Intelligence, referenced in the coverage, indicate that Blinkit operates about 2,200 delivery outlets across India. Swiggy and Zepto each are estimated to run roughly 1,100 outlets, highlighting how regulatory actions in Maharashtra touch companies with large national networks.

The combination of permit suspensions, improvement notices and public warnings from the state regulator places quick-commerce players under heightened scrutiny. Compliance with hygiene and storage requirements is likely to remain a central issue for operators seeking to maintain uninterrupted service in key markets such as Maharashtra.