KATHMANDU, Oct 15: Most hotels and restaurants operating along the Prithvi Highway have been found serving substandard food, according to inspections conducted by the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC).
The inspections, carried out along the Dhading and Chitwan sections of the highway, found that a majority of roadside eateries failed to meet acceptable food quality and hygiene standards.
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Of the 26 hotels and restaurants inspected, none qualified for the ‘Excellent’ (Category A) or ‘Very Good’ (Category B) ratings. Fourteen establishments were rated ‘Satisfactory’ (Category C), while the remaining 12 received a ‘Fair’ (Category D) rating.
According to the department’s classification criteria, a three-star green sticker is awarded for ‘Excellent’, a two-star green sticker for ‘Very Good’, a one-star green sticker for ‘Satisfactory’, and a yellow sticker for ‘Fair’.
The DFTQC said it has intensified monitoring and inspection drives following widespread public complaints about highway-based hotels and restaurants, which are frequently used by long-distance travelers. Complaints have cited poor hygiene, the sale of stale and low-quality food, food exposed to flies, and arbitrary overcharging.
The department said it has warned all hotels and restaurants operating along the highway to strictly comply with food hygiene standards and refrain from practices that could compromise the health and safety of passengers.