Story by Harshit Uttam I Updated : 15 January 2026
Bengaluru’s delivery partners are finding the streets less stressful after quick-commerce apps complied with the Labour Ministry’s directive to drop their “10-minute delivery” promise. “Every order used to feel like a race,” recalls Rupesh, a rider weaving through the city’s traffic. “I was watching the timer more than the road. Now, without that pressure, I can ride safely and return home in one piece.”
“People forget we’re more than delivery boys—we’re fathers, sons, brothers, with families waiting for us. The slowdown feels like a rare acknowledgment that our lives matter,” shared a Blinkit rider who regularly navigates Koramangala, Bengaluru’s plush tech hub.
Fearing job loss or pay cuts, many delivery partners withheld their identities, wary of backlash from quick-commerce platforms. Their emotions were layered—relief at eased pressure, exhaustion from the grind, and unease over what comes next.
Blinkit and other quick-commerce apps have long flaunted the promise of “10,000 products in ten minutes.” Yet that speed comes at a steep cost—delivery partners pushed to race against time through clogged roads, often gambling with their safety.
On Tuesday, Blinkit dropped its “10-minute delivery” slogan from platforms and ads, opting instead for the more measured line: “30,000 products delivered at your doorstep.” The move followed intervention by the Union Ministry of Labour, which flagged the strain such timelines placed on gig workers. Within a day, Swiggy and IPO-bound Zepto made similar changes.
“Safety badhegi. Par paise ka kya?”
Ten-minute delivery has grown beyond a slogan, embedding itself into consumer behavior. Yet the change has left customers and sellers divided, and delivery partners anxious about possible job cuts and losing the extra income they once relied on.
“I want safer deliveries, but I fear for my income,” admits Aftab (name changed), a Mumbai rider. “Those speed-based incentives kept my rent and EMIs afloat. Now, without them, every rupee stings.”
With the 10-minute delivery claim gone but no promise of stable earnings, workers feel suspended between relief and fear. “Whenever companies shift policies, riders like us worry,” Aftab explains. “We don’t know if demand will drop or if some of us will be phased out.”
Lucknow-based Adeeb summed up the dilemma: “The heart says it’s good—safer rides ahead. But the mind asks, what about income? If orders drop, how will we keep the household running?”
In Delhi, quick deliveries are now part of daily life—but riders fear the backlash. “Customers are hooked on speed. Rules may change, but frustration will still hit us. Systems shift, expectations don’t,” said Amar (name changed), skeptical of any real change.
Times Now has consistently spotlighted the concerns of gig workers and the safety hazards tied to ultra-fast deliveries. In a recent poll, the channel asked whether the 10-minute delivery model compromises worker safety. The results were striking: a large majority voted “Yes,” while only a small minority said “not at all,” underscoring the gravity of the issue.
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