Raghav Chadha welcomes Centre’s move to scrap 10-minute delivery on quick commerce apps

New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on Tuesday welcomed the Centre’s directive to e-commerce platforms such as Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy Instamart, and others to discontinue the 10-minute delivery option, calling it a “milestone step” for ensuring the safety and welfare of gig workers.Raghav Chadha welcomes Centre’s move to scrap 10-minute delivery on quick commerce apps

In a video message on X, Chadha said, “After the Centre’s intervention, Blinkit and other quick e-commerce apps have removed the 10-minute delivery. Credit goes to people who raised their voice in this connection, raising concern for the gig workers.”

He described the ultra-fast delivery promise as dangerous, adding, “I congratulate the Centre for its intervention and for abolishing the 10-minute delivery. This option is a cruelty which is very real. Whether it is printed on the rider’s uniform or on their carry bags or timer on a customer’s app carries grave danger to the rider.”

Chadha highlighted the physical and mental toll the 10-minute delivery commitment places on gig workers, noting that it pressures them into driving recklessly, putting themselves and others at risk. “I have met several delivery workers in the past days and found out that most of them are overworked, underpaid and bearing the pressure of this unrealistic 10-minute delivery promise with utmost difficulty,” he added.

ALSO READ | 10-minute delivery comes from store density, not speeding riders

He emphasised that the initiative was not aimed at harming companies but at improving the working conditions of gig workers. “Central government and all of us MPs are pro-industrialisation, pro-employment and pro-start-up, but we never supported exploitation. Which is why, the whole point of this movement was not to hurt any company but to improve the lives and working conditions of gig workers,” Chadha said.

“The central government’s decision will not only ensure their safety and security but also prove to be a milestone in improving their working conditions and dignity. I want to assure all the gig workers that they are not alone in this movement, and we are all with them in this,” he added.

Centre’s move on 10-minute delivery

The Ministry of Labour has directed e-commerce platforms such as Blinkit to drop claims of 10-minute deliveries after Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya urged companies to prioritise the safety of delivery partners.

ALSO READ | Rs 655 instead of Rs 320! Customer flags Zomato price discrepancy

Mandaviya met representatives from several aggregators, including Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, and Zepto, to discuss concerns over delivery timelines. Following the meeting, Blinkit revised its tagline from “10,000-plus products delivered in 10 minutes” to “30,000-plus products delivered at your doorstep,” sources said.

The 10-minute delivery promise has sparked widespread public debate, with critics arguing that such timelines put delivery partners at considerable risk.