In a significant move that shifts the focus from blistering speed to human safety, the Indian government has directed quick-commerce platforms to drop their high-pressure "10-minute delivery" claims. This directive follows a meeting between Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and executives from major aggregators like Zomato-owned Blinkit, Swiggy, and Zepto.
The immediate and most visible change is the quiet but telling revision of Blinkit’s tagline. The platform has moved from promising "10,000 plus products delivered in 10 minutes" to the more measured "30,000 plus products delivered at your doorstep." This pivot marks the culmination of an intense public and political debate over whether the race for hyper-fast delivery was coming at an unacceptable human cost—the safety and well-being of delivery partners.
The Pressure of the Timer
For months, the 10-minute promise has been criticised by worker unions, safety advocates, and parliamentarians. They argued that the constant countdown on a customer’s app, often mirrored on a delivery executive’s uniform or bag, created an environment of immense and dangerous pressure. To meet these unrealistic deadlines, riders were often compelled to flout traffic rules, risking accidents and their lives.
AAP MP Raghav Chadha, a vocal advocate for gig workers, hailed the government’s intervention. "This is a much-needed step because when '10 minutes' is printed on a rider's t-shirt/jacket/bag and a timer runs on the customer's screen, the pressure is real, constant, and dangerous," he stated, calling the move a victory for the safety and dignity of workers.
A Larger Push for Social Security
This directive is not an isolated action but part of a broader regulatory push to bring gig workers under a social safety net. The Code on Social Security, 2020, recognises gig and platform workers as entitled to benefits. In a pivotal step earlier this month, the Labour Ministry published draft rules for the four labour codes, aiming to extend coverage for minimum wage, health, occupational safety, and social security to this vast, growing workforce. The government aims to implement these codes comprehensively from April 1 next year.
The urgency for these measures was underscored by nationwide protests. On December 25, unions of gig workers demonstrated, demanding better pay, social security, and crucially, the "dropping of arbitrary time-based delivery targets." They had threatened a nationwide strike on December 31, prompting some platforms to offer temporary incentive hikes.
Industry at an Inflection Point
The government’s move forces India’s hyper-competitive quick-commerce industry into a crucial inflection point. The 10-minute promise was a central marketing plank, a key differentiator in a crowded market. Platforms must now redefine their value proposition, potentially competing more on product range, reliability, and service quality rather than just speed.
While the immediate change is in branding, the real test will be in operational overhaul. Companies will need to redesign algorithms and incentives that have, until now, been optimized for speed above all else. The focus must shift to creating sustainable systems that balance efficiency with the welfare of the workforce that powers it.
A Win for Dignity Over Delivery Time
This development is being celebrated as a landmark step for labour rights in India’s digital economy. It acknowledges that the convenience of the consumer cannot be built on the compromised safety of the worker. As Raghav Chadha noted, speaking to the delivery partners he championed: "You're not alone, we're all with you."
The message from the government is clear: in the new world of work, social security is non-negotiable, and no business model should incentivise risk to life. The era of the 10-minute guarantee may be over, paving the way for what stakeholders hope will be a more humane and sustainable future for India's gig economy.
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