Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has persuaded major delivery aggregators to remove the mandatory 10-minute delivery deadline following a series of sustained interventions, news agency ANI reported on Tuesday, citing sources. A meeting was held with leading platforms, including Blinkit, Zepto, Zomato, and Swiggy, to address concerns related to strict delivery timelines and their impact on the safety and well-being of delivery partners.
During the discussions, the minister advised them to do away with strict delivery time limits in the interest of delivery workers' safety.
Blinkit drops '10-minute-delivery' deadline
Following the intervention of the government, quick-commerce platform Blinkit has already removed the "10-minute delivery" promise from all its brand platforms, as per the sources.
As part of this change, Blinkit has updated its brand messaging, the sources said. The company's principal tagline has been revised from "10,000 plus products delivered in 10 minutes" to "30,000 plus products delivered at your doorstep."
All other companies assured the government that they would remove delivery-time commitments from their brand advertisements and social media platforms in the coming days. The move is aimed at ensuring greater safety, security, and improved working conditions for gig workers.
Debate over gig workers and their safety
The development comes amid nationwide strike calls by gig and delivery workers on December 25 and December 31. Worker unions have accused platforms of promoting unsafe delivery models, reducing earnings, and providing limited social security. In recent weeks, there have been widespread public debates and discussions around the working conditions of gig workers.
In the recent Parliament session, the AAP Rajya Sabha member spoke about the "pain and misery" of India's gig workers, who work under tremendous pressure and at times in harsh weather conditions.
AAP MP Raghav Chadha had demanded regulations for quick commerce and other app-based delivery and service businesses, emphasising the need for social security benefits for gig workers. In his Parliament intervention, the RS MP called for dignity, protection, and fair pay for gig workers.
Also Read: AAP's Raghav Chadha spends a day as Blinkit delivery partner amid gig workers' demands row | WATCH
