The centre has reportedly asked the e-commerce platforms to remove 10-minute delivery claims to prioritise the safety of the delivery partners. Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya held several meetings with the top office bearers of such platforms, including Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy, and Zomato, in the past few weeks and urged them to change their strategies. The Labour Ministry stressed that a 10-minute delivery system is a threat to the safety of the gig workers and has increased the risk of accidents. The e-commerce platforms have also agreed to change the strategy and have assured to provide more benefits to the delivery partners.

Why Did The Centre Intervene?

The labour ministry has stated that the 10-minute delivery rules increase pressure on the delivery partners to meet the deadline, reported India Today. These workers face several issues while delivering the products, including traffic rush, geographical challenges, and the nature of the product. In order to meet the deadline, they often break traffic rules, putting their and others' health at risk.

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Earlier in December, several gig workers' unions announced a strike on the eve of Christmas and the New Year, demanding better working conditions and reforms in pay scale. The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) president, Shaik Salauddin, stated that the fast-delivery model has put the workers in danger. “Our demand to the platform companies was that our old payout structure be reinstated and that the 10-minute delivery option be removed from all platforms," Salauddin stated.

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However, the e-commerce platforms claimed that the strike did not affect their business and their delivery rate was at an all-time high. They further assured that several steps were being taken to ensure safety for the delivery partners, adding that the sector is expected to grow rapidly in the upcoming years. Apart from this, several politicians, including AAP MP Raghav Chadha and Congress senior leader Rahul Gandhi, had advised the centre to bring reforms for the gig workers.