As temperatures shoot up across different parts of the country, online platforms that employ gig workers are rolling out a mix of tech-driven tools, infrastructure upgrades, and welfare measures.
Companies such as Amazon, Zomato, Blinkit, Swiggy, BigBasket, and Flipkart say they are strengthening safeguards for delivery workers on the ground.
Eternal, the parent firm of food delivery platform Zomato and quick commerce (qcom) platform Blinkit, said it has expanded insurance coverage for delivery partners, which includes outpatient and hospitalisation benefits. The company said the respective apps feature SOS support and weather alerts, while customers are nudged to offer water or tips during extreme heat.
Blinkit has equipped dark stores with cooling infrastructure (pedestal fans, air coolers, benches, and water dispensers) and is distributing glucose sachets daily, alongside scaling its free-of-cost “Doctor@Store” consultations. Zomato, meanwhile, has built a network of over 5,000 rest points through restaurant partnerships, and is offering subsidised cooling gear such as UV-protection jackets.
Similarly, food delivery and grocery platform Swiggy said it has introduced specialised cooling vests that can reduce body temperature by several degrees for hours.
Flipkart, too, said it is improving rest areas, ensuring hydration access, and offering “Doctor on Call” services, along with training workers to identify heat stress symptoms early. “We are implementing seasonal adaptations to ensure adequate availability of hydration and refreshment options for Wishmasters (delivery workers) across our hubs and during their routes. Infrastructure improvements, specifically to enhance temperature regulation, are underway in the rest areas of delivery centres,” a Flipkart spokesperson said.
Qcom platform BigBasket pointed to flexible work schedules and welfare initiatives aimed at easing partner conditions. Aashutosh Taparia, national head of last mile delivery (LMD), said: “We maintain regular engagement through on-ground support teams, recognition programmes, and welfare initiatives like sponsoring education for riders and even their family members, etc. designed to improve the overall partner experience.”
In addition, e-commerce platform Amazon, which also has a qcom service, Amazon Now, said that since the start of 2025, the company has committed more than $500 million to upgrade its pan-Indian operations network and strengthen associate well-being measures. “We are expanding Project Ashray, our network of 100 air-conditioned rest stops across major cities. These facilities provide comfortable seating, clean washrooms, drinking water, charging stations, and first-aid support, serving more than 150,000 delivery partners every month,” an Amazon spokesperson said.
Amid these measures, the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers has written to the Ministry of Labour and Employment, seeking enforceable protections. The association demanded paid cooling breaks during severe heat alerts, access to drinking water and shelters, and in-app emergency systems for heat distress, arguing that voluntary measures by platforms are not enough.
The ministry itself has issued a nationwide advisory, urging states and Union Territories to direct employers, especially those working in outdoor and labour-intensive sectors, to implement immediate heat-safety measures.
A few delivery workers who Business Standard spoke to said there have been modest improvements on the ground. A delivery partner said that at least two qcom platforms have increased per-order payouts during peak afternoon hours, between 12 noon and 4 pm, in the range of ₹10-18.
The developments come as the India Meteorological Department warns of a rise in heatwave days across many parts of India, driven in part by increasing night-time temperatures.
Beating the heat
- Blinkit has equipped dark stores with cooling infrastructure alongside scaling its free-of-cost “Doctor@Store” consultations
- Zomato has built a network of over 5,000 rest points through restaurant partnerships
- Swiggy said it has introduced specialised cooling vests that can reduce body temperature
 "Temperatures on the rise, online platforms offer relief to gig workers")
