Over 75% delivery partners back; serving 95% of Chennai on Aug 20: Swiggy

Food ordering and delivery platform provider Swiggy said most of the delivery executives have resumed duty and were serving 95 per cent of the city

: Food ordering and delivery

platform provider Swiggy on Friday said most of the delivery executives have resumed duty and were serving 95 per cent of the city as of Thursday.

"Over the last couple of days, we have had a positive dialogue with our partners to explain the revised pay-outs and assuage their concerns," a company spokesperson said.

Following the positive discussion with them, the official said over 75 per cent of the partners were back to delivering and were serving 95 per cent of the city as of August 20.

"We are glad that our partners were able to understand the revised service fee. We understand the efforts put in by our delivery partners in making Swiggy accessible to consumers and maintain an honest approach in enabling a sustainable service fee," he told P T I.

According to the company official, between March and June, the company supported close to 40,000 delivery partners to the tune of Rs 18 crore.

"This was in the form of earnings guarantees to prevent partners from bearing the brunt of the dip in order volumes," he said.

With the expansion of Swiggy Genie and 'Grocery' categories across Tier-I and II cities and uptake in food orders as the festive season approaches, Swiggy delivery partners have a unique advantage of generating additional income through these avenues, he said.

Meanwhile, DMK Chief M K Stalin called upon the state government to hold discussions with the delivery executives to amicably solve the issue.

"With the employees dropping their plans to continue strike, I request the government to hold discussions and reach a solution in payment issues," he said in a statement.

He also requested Chief Minister K Palaniswami's personal intervention on the issue considering the services rendered by the delivery executives during the lockdown.

Meanwhile, a couple of delivery executives who took part in the strike, said they have resumed duty so that they were receiving some kind of package instead of full benefit.

"I am working since I am not able to earn money as it was in the past. But something I can earn. I hope the situation improves as the time goes by," the executive told P T I on conditions of anonymity.

Another delivery partner said he recently lost his full-time job at a shop and joined Swiggy even though the strike was on.

"I am serving customers of Swiggy now. I am also serving other customers (who are also using similar mobile applications) to make ends meet," he said.