Rajya Sabha MP and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha on Tuesday welcomed the Centre's decision to end 10-minute deliveries, calling it a significant win for gig workers who have been protesting against poor working conditions and inadequate pay.
Chadha took to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to highlight the impact of the decision, emphasising that it will help ensure the safety of delivery riders and everyone who shares the roads.
“Satyamev Jayate. Together, we have won. I am deeply grateful to the Central Government for its timely, decisive and compassionate intervention in enforcing the removal of the “10-minute delivery” branding from quick-commerce platforms,” Chadha wrote in the X post.
Chadha's appearance as a delivery rider follows his recent criticism of what he termed the “exploitative realities” of gig work. To lend his support, he also spent New Year's Eve with gig workers, many of whom went on a nationwide strike.
“This is a much needed step because when “10 minutes” is printed on a rider’s tshirt/ jacket/ bag and a timer runs on the customer’s screen, the pressure is real, constant, and dangerous,” he noted in his latest post, outlining the drawbacks of quick deliveries promised by e-commerce companies.
Chadha had previously also mentioned that delivery partners are poorly paid. He shared a screenshot on social media last month that appeared to show a Blinkit delivery partner earning ₹762.57 after completing 28 deliveries across nearly 15 hours.
“Over the past months, I have spoken to hundreds of delivery partners. Many are overworked, underpaid and risking their life to fulfil an unrealistic promise…And to every gig worker - you’re not alone, we’re all with you,” he noted in the post, which has since gone viral.
The central government has reportedly directed Indian quick commerce companies to address concerns related to delivery timelines, with a focus on the 10-minute delivery aspect, ANI reported on Tuesday, 13 January.
The government's intervention compelled companies such as Blinkit, Zepto, Zomato, Swiggy, and others to rethink their 10-minute delivery strategies, following a meeting between Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and major quick commerce platforms. The companies were reportedly directed to remove the mandate.
According to the agency report, citing people aware of the development, Blinkit has already acted on the government directive and removed the promise of 10-minute delivery from its company branding. Meanwhile, other quick commerce platforms are also set to follow suit in the coming days.
Curated by Ahmed Ibrahim
