With gig workers strike, 10-minute delivery rule scrapped, Zomato rolls out safety training for its riders

Amid heightened scrutiny over gig worker safety, pay and working conditions, Eternal Ltd-owned food delivery platform Zomato on Wednesday announced a multi-city road safety initiative for its delivery partners, seeking to reinforce its commitment to rider welfare.

According to a company statement, Zomato will conduct professional driving training programmes and distribute over 2,000 BIS-certified helmets as part of the initiative, which coincides with National Road Safety Month.

The programme will include 90–120 minutes of traffic police-led training focused on safe riding practices in high-density urban environments. Delivery partners will be trained on maintaining safe following distances, anticipating road risks and navigating congested traffic conditions. The sessions will also cover the ‘Golden Hour’ protocol—the critical first hour following an accident or medical emergency—during which timely intervention can significantly improve survival outcomes.

Training sessions will be conducted at traffic training parks in cities including Chandigarh, Bengaluru, Chennai and Pune. Participants will receive guidance on helmet upkeep, the importance of BIS-certified chin straps, helmet lifespan, and compliance with traffic regulations and penalties, the company mentioned.

“Delivery partners are the backbone of our business, and their safety and wellbeing continue to be our top priority,” said Aditya Mangla, CEO of Zomato.

The company said safety briefings are mandatory before delivery partners begin work, with a strong emphasis on helmet use, road discipline and responsible riding. Each working day starts with a safety pledge, while delivery partners also receive real-time weather alerts and precautionary notifications through the Zomato delivery partner app. The platform additionally offers a 24×7 in-app SOS feature for rapid ambulance assistance, along with comprehensive insurance coverage for all delivery partners.

The announcement comes weeks after a section of delivery workers, under the banner of the Indian Federation of App-based Transport Workers (IFAT), staged protests and called for a mass log-off from delivery apps between 7 am and midnight. Key demands included restoring per-kilometre wages to Rs 10, scrapping the 10-minute delivery option, and ensuring compensation for cancelled orders.

Delivery workers have argued that ultra-fast delivery timelines promoted by platforms such as Zepto, Blinkit and Swiggy Instamart force riders to race against time, significantly increasing accident risks. Several workers cited injuries and road accidents linked to delivery pressure.

During the protests, Eternal founder Deepinder Goyal defended the company’s operating norms on social media, highlighting average hourly earnings of around Rs 102 in 2025 and potential net monthly income of approximately Rs 21,000 for full-time delivery partners after expenses. Goyal also noted that most delivery partners work part-time, with only about 2.3% logging more than 250 working days a year.

However, his remarks triggered backlash online, intensifying the broader debate around gig worker welfare, delivery speed and platform accountability.

Following the protests, the Union Ministry of Labour asked quick commerce platforms to drop the controversial “10-minute delivery” promise amid concerns over worker safety. The directive followed consultations with major platforms including Zomato, Blinkit and Zepto.

As regulatory pressure mounts and public scrutiny grows, industry observers say initiatives around safety and working conditions are likely to become central to how consumer internet platforms define their next phase of growth.