New Delhi: Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has persuaded major app-based delivery platforms to remove the mandatory 10-minute delivery deadline, following a series of interventions aimed at improving the safety and working conditions of gig workers, according to ANI.
The decision came after a meeting between the Labour Ministry and leading quick commerce and food delivery platforms, including Blinkit, Zepto, Zomato and Swiggy, where concerns over delivery timelines and worker safety were discussed. Blinkit has already removed the 10-minute delivery assurance from its branding, changing its tagline from “10,000 plus products delivered in 10 minutes” to “30,000 plus products delivered at your doorstep.” Other platforms are expected to follow suit in the coming days.
The move is intended to reduce pressure on delivery partners, who often face tight timelines that can compromise road safety and personal wellbeing. Officials indicated that the focus is on ensuring safer working environments, greater job security and more humane conditions for gig workers across platforms.
The issue of gig workers’ welfare has gained momentum in recent weeks. During the recent session of Parliament, Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha drew attention to the “pain and misery” faced by gig workers, highlighting the intense pressure they work under, often in extreme weather conditions. He urged the government to regulate quick commerce and other app-based delivery businesses, stressing the need for social security, dignity, protection and fair wages for workers.
For the first time, the Code on Social Security, 2020, which came into effect on November 21, 2025, formally defines ‘gig workers’ and ‘platform workers’ and provides a framework for their social security. The law includes provisions for life and disability cover, accident insurance, health and maternity benefits, and old-age protection. It also envisages the creation of a Social Security Fund to support the welfare of workers engaged in the gig and platform economy.
