Delhi: Quick-commerce platform Blinkit has removed its widely promoted “10-minute delivery” assurance from branding and advertising, following strong intervention by the Union Labour Ministry over concerns about delivery workers’ safety. The move comes after Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya held detailed discussions with senior executives of Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy and Zomato, warning that rigid delivery timelines encourage unsafe riding practices.
According to officials, the Minister advised companies to prioritise the lives and well-being of gig workers over speed-based marketing. After the meeting, all major quick-commerce and food delivery platforms assured the government that they would eliminate fixed delivery-time promises from advertisements, mobile apps and social media campaigns.
The debate around ultra-fast deliveries has been gaining momentum at the national level. During the recent Parliament session, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha raised the issue, arguing that aggressive delivery deadlines force riders to overspeed, jump signals and take dangerous risks on crowded roads. He urged lawmakers to recognise the human cost behind instant convenience.
Taking the issue beyond Parliament, Chadha recently released a video in which he dressed up as a delivery executive and completed real-time deliveries. Through the act, he highlighted the physical pressure, time stress and safety hazards faced daily by gig workers, renewing demands for stronger labour protections in India’s rapidly expanding quick-commerce sector.
