NH joint in Hyderabad Circle area grows into major food joint amid many complaints

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Circle area here on NH 44 Road, which acts as a mid-point in the road journey between Hyderabad and Bengaluru, has turned itself into a major food-joint in recent times, but complaints are many.

Restaurants including top brands have set up units that are competing with local hotels. The daily turnover of these establishments is high. However, the lack of controls from the civic authorities and the food safety wing has created a situation of open looting of the customers, with the items being charged abnormally high prices, customers say.

These hotels and eateries along the NH-44 Hyderabad - Bangalore road have also been accused of serving customers with substandard food. Some regular travellers taking food at these eateries also cite instances of rude treatment from hoteliers and workers.

As per government rule, hoteliers should set up boards displaying the menu, price and the services they offer. Many eateries are flouting such rules and the authorities are silent.

Rajkumar, travelling to Coimbatore from Hyderabad, says he entered a hotel for a meal and paid a “high price for low-quality food.” Another passenger, Ganesh Iyyer, also had a similar story to share. “This is terrible,” he said.

The hoteliers admit that the prices are a bit high. This, they say, is so all along the highways. “We have to entertain the drivers who stop their vehicles in front of our shops. We offer free meals to the drivers and helpers,” they reason. From police to civic staff, many palms need to be greased on a regular basis.

While there is heavy criticism against the rates and quality on offer at the hotels along the highway in Anantapur and Kurnool districts, the district administration and the food inspectors are not in a mood to take remedial action. Hotels and eateries in Kurnool, Dhone, Gooty, Anantapur and nearby locations had not been inspected by the authorities for long.

“The municipal administration and other departments should make it mandatory for all hotels, restaurants, fast food centers, and street vendors to provide free purified drinking water to customers,” a frequent traveller said.

“The water provided must be either purified by the local authorities or treated through reverse osmosis. If packaged bottled water is supplied, the charge must not be more than the maximum retail price printed on the water bottle,” he said.

Another customer said a toll-free number should be provided for recording the complaints. “In Hyderabad, the GHMC has issued orders to provide safe drinking water to customers of all eateries. This followed a complaint lodged by an NGO, M Suresh Babu, against many hotels and restaurants in the city selling packaged drinking water at exorbitant rates.

"The GHMC Commissioner has been instructed to take appropriate action. Similar action must be taken in the Anantapur highway to curb such irregularities,” Suresh said.