Centre pulls plug on 10-minute delivery; Blinkit revokes, Swiggy, Zomato & Zepto to follow

NEW DELHI: India’s quick-commerce boom just hit a speed bump. After a month of quiet arm-twisting by union labour minister Mansukh Mandaviya, the country’s biggest delivery apps have begun scrubbing “10-minute delivery” promises from their branding to cool the pressure on gig workers.

Blinkit has already blinked. Its main tagline has been switched from “10,000 plus products delivered in 10 minutes” to a blander “30,000 plus products delivered at your doorstep”, government sources said. Zepto, Zomato and Swiggy are expected to follow within days.

The clean-up comes after Mandaviya summoned the sector’s heavyweights to a series of meetings, warning that turbo-charged delivery pledges were pushing riders into risky behaviour on India’s clogged roads and eroding safety and dignity at work.

The ministry’s move was sharpened by a nationwide strike on New Year’s Eve, when more than 200,000 riders refused to deliver food and groceries, protesting punishing timelines, pay and safety. The walkout reignited scrutiny of a sector that has grown at breakneck speed but left workers exposed.

In Parliament last month, AAP MP Raghav Chadha, accused platforms of trading on “pain and misery” and demanded tighter rules, social security and fair wages. Investors, already twitchy about the cost of extending labour protections under India’s new codes, have been watching closely.

India’s gig workforce is forecast to hit 23.5 million by 2030, nearly triple its size a decade ago.