A roadside eatery near Perundurai in Erode district faces stringent legal action after Tamil Nadu transport minister Vijay Tamizhan Parthiban found food being stored and handled in unhygienic conditions during a surprise inspection on the Salem-Coimbatore National Highway on Wednesday night.
The inspection followed repeated complaints from bus passengers about poor-quality food, prices allegedly higher than prescribed rates and unhygienic toilet facilities at the eatery. The minister reached the establishment at around 9pm and spoke to passengers about the services provided to travellers using the bus route.
Passengers raised grievances about the quality of food being sold, alleged overpricing and the condition of the toilets, according to the report. Parthiban then inspected the kitchen and sales sections of the establishment, where he observed food items intended for public consumption being stored and handled in what the report described as unhygienic conditions.
The minister also noted serious deficiencies in the quality of food being offered to customers. The inspection placed three basic operating concerns under scrutiny: whether food sold to passengers was safe, whether prices followed prescribed rates and whether sanitation facilities were being maintained for public use.
After the inspection, Parthiban warned the eatery management against compromising the health and safety of passengers by selling substandard food. He contacted senior transport department officials and instructed them to initiate stringent legal action against the establishment without delay for violating prescribed norms.
“The health and safety of passengers cannot be compromised under any circumstances. Eateries operating along bus routes must strictly adhere to food quality, pricing and sanitation norms. Any violation will invite immediate and stringent action,” the minister said.
Roadside eateries serving intercity bus passengers function as part of the wider travel network on highways, particularly for travellers making long-distance journeys. Their food services, prices and toilet facilities directly affect passengers who may have limited alternatives during scheduled stops. In this case, the reported inspection was triggered by repeated passenger complaints rather than a routine announcement.
The report does not specify the legal provisions that officials will invoke, the amount of any proposed penalty, whether the eatery will be temporarily closed or whether further inspections will be carried out at other establishments along the route. It also does not provide details of laboratory testing or a separate food safety authority action.
The immediate next step directed by the minister is for senior transport department officials to initiate legal action against the eatery for the reported violations of food quality, pricing and sanitation norms.
