Free Water Rule: Hotels and restaurants must provide customers with free, clean drinking water; arbitrary charges will no longer be allowed.

Free Water: There is good news for those who frequently visit hotels and restaurants. The government of this state has decided that water must be provided free of charge in hotels.

Free Water: People often visit hotels and restaurants for meals—whether for birthday parties or other celebrations. A common complaint among customers is that hotels charge them even for water. However, this arbitrary practice by hotels and restaurants will no longer be tolerated, as the government has issued a new order to curb it.

What is the new order?

The government has ordered hotel and restaurant owners to provide water to customers for free. We are referring to the Maharashtra government; the state's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued new food safety regulations for hotels and restaurants. Under these rules, customers must be provided with free water. Furthermore, customers cannot be forced to purchase bottled water.

What do the new rules say?

Under the new rules issued by the FDA, serving food on newspaper has been banned. Only food-grade packaging materials must be used to ensure food quality is maintained. Additionally, it is mandatory for hotel and restaurant staff to undergo regular health check-ups and receive food safety training. There is also a ban on the repeated use of cooking oil.

Menus must also be clear and detailed.

Moreover, according to the new orders, large restaurants and food chains must clearly list calorie counts, allergen information, and vegetarian/non-vegetarian status on their menus. This decision follows FDA inspections that revealed food was being prepared in unhygienic conditions. In light of this, instructions have been issued for strict monitoring and enforcement across the state.