Around 200 Swiggy delivery partners on Tuesday held a protest at GMDC Ground in Ahmedabad, seeking an end to what they described as their "exploitation". The protesters said they had gathered from different parts of the state. Jay Kumar (52), who heads the Swiggy Riders Association, said, "Our main demand is to standardise the rate card in Gujarat, which is currently made based on the demand in each region. We want it to be the same everywhere, regardless of the place. Another demand is that they (Swiggy) have to either stop the slot system or keep it open the entire day." As per the slot system, he said, the delivery partner is supposed to work for two slots of four hours each in a day. The online food delivery firm places penalties on the whole day's earnings even if the riders miss a single slot, Kumar stressed. "With this protest, we hope that our demands are approved by the company or, at the very least, we find a middle ground on the problems we're facing," he added. The protesters have also asked for fair compensation for cancelled orders. The delivery partners said riders have to pay from their pockets if an order is cancelled midway. They also seek extra compensation for going to a different location than the one mentioned on the application, and insurance for everyone among other demands. Azad Patel (31), a gig worker, accused the company of manipulating the online system to exploit them. He said they have "screenshots as proof" to support their allegations. He further added that the company has been shutting down accounts of the people participating in the protest, putting pressure to end the stir. While Bhavesh Solanki, Swiggy's Head of City Operations, Ahmedabad, refused to comment on the matter, the company stated in a release, "We understand the inconvenience caused by the impact in certain city zones. We are currently in direct communication with our delivery executives to swiftly resolve the situation. We are working diligently to resume our services as soon as possible."
