Overworked and underpaid: The struggles of delivery boys in meeting the 10-minute delivery promise

Big discounts for customers lead to more orders, but they do not translate into extra income for the delivery boys.

By Ali Raiyan

Hyderabad: Quick grocery delivery apps promising 10-minute deliveries are booming in Hyderabad, but this convenience comes at a cost. While customers benefit from quick delivery service, the workers who ensure timely deliveries face tough conditions, low pay, and constant pressure, all with little protection.

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These riders are not regular employees as the hyperlocal e-commerce companies refer to them as “partners“. This means they receive no pension, no paid sick leave and no job security as they are self-employed contractors working independently.

They earn between Rs. 15 to Rs. 45 per delivery and conditions such as heavy rain or traffic jams do not help them increase their earnings. Big discounts for customers lead to more orders, but they do not translate into extra income for them.

“The app is my boss,” says Suresh, a rider. “Its timer starts when the store packs the bag, not when I receive it.” Delays like traffic, security checks, or slow-moving lifts at the destination are not taken into account. Late deliveries mean fewer future orders and less income. This forces riders to drive recklessly on Hyderabad’s potholed roads and heavy traffic.

After each delivery, customers have the opportunity to rate the service. A 4-star instead of a 5-star one will impact a rider’s future work assignments. “We beg customers to give us a 5-star rating,” explains rider Vikram. “Even if the store packs broken biscuits or traffic makes me late, I get blamed,” he adds.

Typically, a rider works around 10-12 hours a day. He endures Hyderabad’s heat, rain, and pollution while fulfilling orders at the customer’s doorstep.

“My back always hurts. My eyes burn from constantly checking the phone and focusing on the road,” says rider Arjun. He further said, “I’m always stressed about the timer and ratings.”

While companies could do more to improve the working conditions of their “partner”, riders are, however, left to monitor poor road conditions and share traffic alerts with fellow riders on social media messaging platforms such as WhatsApp.

“We move around the city in 10 minutes,” one rider notes, “but our lives feel stuck, draining away like the batteries in our scooters.”

Without better rules and regulations, company accountability, and customer awareness, the 10-minute delivery dream will continue to rely on overworked riders in an unwinnable race, where the finish line keeps moving farther away.