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No more 10 minutes, but gig workers still race the clock
Despite quick-commerce services dropping the 10-minute delivery promise, delivery workers remain in a whirlwind of speed expectations. The foundational business model places an unwavering spotlight on rapid delivery, affecting both their pay and safety on the job. Customers' thirst for immediate gratification feeds into a system that prioritises expediency, leaving workers grappling for clarity on their rights and compensation.
A day after the labour ministry nudged quick-commerce platforms to drop the much-criticised 10-minute delivery branding, the reality on the ground appeared largely unchanged for delivery workers.
As per Times of India, in a Noida high-rise, delivery partner Sumit Singh arrived at the 17th floor not by lift, but via the stairs, his large delivery bag slung across his shoulders. Asked why he had climbed all the way up, he replied simply: "Ji, ma'am. I can't wait for the lift. Every minute I save gives me a chance to earn more."
Also Read: Gig workers body welcomes end to 10-minute delivery promise
Despite the platform no longer advertising ultra-fast delivery, Singh said the pressure to move quickly remained intact.
For delivery workers like Singh, little has shifted in the daily grind: long hours, constant time pressure, and a business model that rewards speed above all else. Customer expectations of instant fulfilment persist, as do apartment rules that restrict delivery workers to service lifts, often reserved for waste disposal.
Singh said he waited five minutes -- what he called "the outer limit of time wastage" -- for the service lift to reach the ground floor before deciding to run up the stairs.
Told that platforms had been asked to remove the 10-minute promise, Singh laughed. "That is only an announcement. Reality remains the same. The faster I finish an order, the faster I get the next one. That's how this works. My income depends on how many deliveries I complete in a day. If one order gets delayed, it has a ripple effect," he said.
Also Read: Quick commerce riders unaware that 10-minute delivery claim has been removed
Over the past few weeks, and particularly after the government introduced a new labour code and gig workers' unions called for strikes during Christmas and New Year, the superfast commerce model has come under renewed scrutiny. While the strikes caused limited disruption, they brought longstanding concerns -- harsh working conditions, stiff targets, and lack of job or income security -- into sharper public focus.
The government's intervention on 10-minute branding was widely seen as an acknowledgement of these issues.
However, delivery workers say it is not branding but the invisible architecture of the job -- timers triggered the moment an order pings, performance metrics, algorithmic work allocation, and incentive structures -- that dictates their pace. Changing the label, they argue, does little to alter deliverables or reduce risk.
The discontinuation of 10-minute delivery promises was among the key demands raised by gig workers' unions, primarily on safety grounds. But workers note that removing speed from “quick commerce” challenges the core of the business model itself.
Why speed still matters
Singh said he earns about Rs 14 per kilometre per order. While longer-distance deliveries pay slightly more, they also take more time and increase fuel or battery costs. To earn between Rs 25,000 and Rs 30,000 a month after expenses -- an amount riders say is the minimum required to get by in Delhi-NCR -- he estimates completing 30–35 deliveries a day.
"That means working 10-12 hours daily without any weekly off. On a good day, I earn up to Rs 850," he said.
Earnings vary across platforms. Gaurav Kumar, who delivers for Swiggy Instamart, said: "Today, I earned Rs 366 after working 8 hours and 33 minutes. I completed 14 deliveries. Scrapping of the 10-minute rule has not changed anything for me. What I want is a steady income."
Customer behaviour adds to the pressure. Dhruv Rajput, a Blinkit delivery worker in Gurgaon, said customers have grown accustomed to extremely fast deliveries. "People still want their orders fast, whether or not it's a 10-minute promise. Sometimes, in cash on delivery cases, there are customers who refuse to pay if we get late. They don't want to hear about traffic congestion. There is no option then but to take the blame and apologise," he told TOI.
Fear of being blocked
More than unhappy customers, riders say they fear being locked out of the app altogether.
Many told TOI that account blocking can be arbitrary, triggered by rejected orders or customer complaints. "Even if there is an emergency to attend to, if a rider rejects orders a few times on the app, it can lead to deductions, or worse, blocking," said Deepak Kumar, a Zepto rider in Delhi.
"Rejecting an order can lead to a deduction of Rs 5-10 or more, depending on distance and order quantity. Accounts can get blocked too. Then you can't work at all."
The push to save time also increases exposure to traffic penalties. Riders admit to taking risks -- driving on the wrong side or making illegal turns -- to avoid delays. Singh said December 2025 proved costly. "I paid Rs 6,000 in traffic fines."
Another often-overlooked issue, riders say, is the weight of deliveries. Raju, a Blinkit rider in Delhi, said: "I'm often climbing stairs and carrying around with me a bag weighing 25-30kg. This takes a toll on the body like back and knee pain. Govt should bring in clear weight limits."
‘Educate us on our rights'
Many riders said they were aware that the government has introduced a new labour code, but admitted that its provisions remain unclear to them. They urged authorities to hold awareness camps to explain their rights.
One rider pointed to the insurance details shown on his app -- Rs 1 lakh health coverage, Rs 10,000 OPD coverage and Rs 10 lakh accidental cover -- but said he had no idea how to access these benefits.
Although the app showed “Health and Accident Insurance” as active, the rider said no one had explained the claims process.
"There is an option to 'Raise a Claim' but it asks for several details when you press it. Riders need help with that. One of my friends recently met with an accident while on a delivery and broke his leg. He wasn't able to claim insurance because he is not very conversant with the technicalities. If govt wants actual change, it should provide training to gig workers on our rights, insurance, finances and safety measures," he said.
For now, workers say, the removal of a slogan has not slowed the race. The lift may be optional, but speed remains compulsory.
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Source: EconomicTimes
Related Posts: gig workers,10-minute delivery,quick commerce,delivery partners,labour ministry,gig economy India,delivery apps,working conditions,algorithmic management,urban employment
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