Know Your Rights: Maharashtra Eateries Can No Longer Force You To Buy Bottled Water

Restaurants and hotels across Maharashtra have been directed to stop asking customers what type of drinking water they prefer before serving them, with the state's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) making it mandatory to first provide free potable water. The directive, issued by Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, is part of a broader drive to strengthen compliance with food safety and hygiene regulations across the state's hospitality sector.

Speaking to NDTV Profit, Mundhe said the order was prompted by his own experience during a recent visit to a restaurant, where he noticed multiple violations of food safety norms. He said one of the first issues he observed was that customers were being asked to choose between different types of drinking water before being served. According to Mundhe, this practice is contrary to existing food safety regulations, which require establishments to provide safe drinking water free of cost before offering packaged or premium alternatives.

"I have issued orders very clearly: you cannot ask what type of water. You must provide pure, potable water first. Later, if the consumer wants bottled water, you provide it," Mundhe said. He added that the directive reinforces a rule introduced by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in 2017, which clarified that all food business operators must ensure access to free potable drinking water for customers. Under the guidelines, packaged bottled water may be offered only as an optional purchase and cannot be imposed or presented as the default choice.

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Mundhe also highlighted another violation observed during his visit, stating that the restaurant had failed to display its food business licence at the entrance. He said displaying the licence prominently is a mandatory requirement for every food business operator, irrespective of the size or category of the establishment. Following the visit, the Maharashtra FDA dispatched an inspection team to the restaurant within 24 hours to verify compliance with food safety regulations.

The commissioner said the action forms part of a wider enforcement initiative under a Hotel, Restaurant and Eatery order issued by the FDA, which reiterates compliance with 22 existing food safety regulations. These rules cover several operational aspects, including kitchen hygiene, segregation of raw and cooked food, safe food storage, sanitation practices and overall handling of food items. Mundhe warned that businesses found serving unsafe food could face immediate suspension of their licences, adding that violations endangering public health could attract stringent legal consequences under food safety laws.

Rejecting suggestions that the FDA's enforcement measures are excessively strict, Mundhe said the department's responsibility is to ensure public health through impartial implementation of existing regulations. He noted that Maharashtra has more than 11 lakh registered food business operators, including over four lakh hotels, restaurants and eateries, making consistent enforcement essential to maintaining food safety standards.

According to Mundhe, businesses complying with the law have nothing to fear from inspections, as the objective is to improve hygiene standards and safeguard consumers rather than penalise compliant establishments. The latest directive is expected to standardise customer service practices across the state's hospitality sector while reinforcing long-standing food safety norms aimed at protecting public health.

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