Govt puts break on 10-min deliveries over gig worker safety concerns

Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has persuaded major delivery and quick commerce platforms to remove mandatory 10-minute delivery deadlines from their branding, following meetings with leading companies over worker safety concerns, ANI reported on Tuesday.

Mandaviya held meetings with companies including Blinkit, Zepto, Zomato and Swiggy to address the impact of aggressive delivery timelines on the safety, security and working conditions of gig workers. Blinkit has already removed the 10-minute delivery promise from its branding, and other platforms are expected to follow in the coming days.

In a recent Parliament session, AAP MP Raghav Chadha spoke about the “pain and misery” faced by gig workers, citing pressure to meet tight deadlines and exposure to harsh weather. Chadha called for regulation of quick commerce and app-based delivery services and urged the government to ensure dignity, protection and fair pay for gig workers.

Mandaviya’s intervention also follows heightened scrutiny of the sector after more than 200,000 delivery riders across India reportedly refused to work on New Year’s Eve. The strike saw workers demanding better pay, improved safety measures and an end to ultra-fast delivery timelines.

For the first time, gig workers and platform workers were formally defined under the Code on Social Security, 2020, which came into force on November 21, 2025. The law provides for social security measures such as life and disability cover, accident insurance, health and maternity benefits and old-age protection. It also allows for the creation of a Social Security Fund and a National Social Security Board for gig and platform workers.

Separately, the Ministry of Labour and Employment launched the e-Shram portal in August 2021 to build a national database of unorganised workers, including gig, platform and migrant workers.

The government’s push signals a shift toward curbing speed-focused delivery practices while allowing the sector to grow in a more sustainable manner.