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Strike by quick commerce and food delivery services see limited impact

“We saw a 20-30% disruption in operations in Delhi-NCR, and more importantly, a significant increase in awareness and collective participation among workers," said Nitesh Kumar Das, Organizing Secretary, Gig Workers Association (GigWA).

Strike by quick commerce, Strike by food delivery services, food delivery services, quick commerce, gig workers strike, delhi news, India news, Indian express, current affairsA delivery partner in New Delhi on Wednesday. (Abhinav Saha)

A strike by workers of quick commerce and food delivery services saw minimal impact in Delhi-NCR on Wednesday, even as unions claimed operations faced disruptions.

Shaik Salauddin, president of Telangana-based Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU), said that as of 7.30 pm, 60% of the operations faced disruption and around 2 lakh workers participated in the strike. “The number will go up, since dinner is the peak order time,” he added.

“We saw a 20-30% disruption in operations in Delhi-NCR, and more importantly, a significant increase in awareness and collective participation among workers,” said Nitesh Kumar Das, Organizing Secretary, Gig Workers Association (GigWA).

Residents across NCR, however, reported minimal disruptions to their deliveries, as both food delivery and quick commerce orders were seen being executed smoothly. Orders placed from Swiggy Instamart, Zomato and Blinkit were delivered as per scheduled time.

“I have taken part in earlier strikes as well, nothing changes. Also, not everyone can afford to strike work. In the morning, bouncers were appointed by the company in different locations to make sure no one forced others to go on a strike or stopped them from delivering orders,” said a Swiggy delivery partner at Sector 52 in Gurgaon.

Outside Ardee Mall, the presence of dozens of delivery partners belied any claims of a successful strike.

“This is New Year’s eve, when I get to earn more. What will I achieve by going on a strike now,” a Zomato rider said.

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The companies, they said, provided incentives that made it difficult for them to skip work.

A Swiggy rider showed that as per his app, for the 70 orders he has delivered, he has received Rs 4,700 as incentive. “The incentive for deliveries made between 6 pm and 10 pm is Rs 120 per order, Rs 20 more than last New Year’s Eve,” he claimed.

A Zomato rider said that while for deliveries made between 10 pm and 12 am, they are being given an incentive of Rs 70, for 12 am and 4pm, they will be paid Rs 50 per order.

Pranav Rungta, vice-president of the National Restaurants Association of India (NRAI) said there was minimal effect on businesses in Delhi-NCR. “Until lunch, there was no drop in orders. Swiggy in fact informed us that 99% of its workers have reported for work,” he added.

 

Abhimanyu Hazarika is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Gurgaon. He covers southern Haryana. Education - Post-Graduate Diploma in Print Media, Asian College of Journalism (Class of 2020) - B.A. (Hons) Liberal Arts with a major in Political Science, Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts (Class of 2019) Professional Experience Before joining The Indian Express, he worked with Bar & Bench (legal journalism) and Frontline magazine, where he developed experience in court reporting, legal analysis, and long-form investigative features. Reporting Interests His work centres on civic accountability, environmental policy, urban infrastructure and culture, crime and law enforcement, and their intersections with politics and governance in and around Gurgaon. Recent Coverage (2025) - Crime: Reported on the recovery of 350 kg of explosives and an AK-47 from a rented house in Faridabad, linked to the 2025 Red Fort car explosion case (November 11, 2025). - Environmental policy: Covered protests outside a Haryana minister’s residence against a Supreme Court order that environmentalists argue could allow mining and real estate development on large parts of the Aravalli hills (December 21, 2025). - Pollution control measures: Co-authored coverage of the Rekha Gupta government’s enforcement of vehicle restrictions at Delhi-NCR borders (December 21, 2025). - Road safety and infrastructure: Examined response lapses in the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway hit-and-run case and ongoing investigations into high-speed road crimes in Gurugram. - Animal welfare policy: Reported on concerns regarding the low budget allocated for stray dog sterilization by the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (November 30, 2025). - Urban culture: Featured the social media-driven popularity of a new Magnolia Bakery outlet in Gurugram (December 15, 2025). Contact X (Twitter): @AB_Hazardous ... Read More

Devansh Mittal is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in the New Delhi City bureau. He reports on urban policy, civic governance, and infrastructure in the National Capital Region, with a growing focus on housing, land policy, transport, and the disruption economy and its social implications. Professional Background Education: He studied Political Science at Ashoka University. Core Beats: His reporting focuses on policy and governance in the National Capital Region, one of the largest urban agglomerations in the world. He covers housing and land policy, municipal governance, urban transport, and the interface between infrastructure, regulation, and everyday life in the city. Recent Notable Work His recent reporting includes in-depth examinations of urban policy and its on-ground consequences: An investigation into subvention-linked home loans that documented how homebuyers were drawn into under-construction projects through a “builder–bank” nexus, often leaving them financially exposed when delivery stalled. A detailed report on why Delhi’s land-pooling policy has remained stalled since 2007, tracing how fragmented land ownership, policy design flaws, and mistrust among stakeholders have kept one of the capital’s flagship urban reforms in limbo. A reported piece examining the collapse of an electric mobility startup and what it meant for women drivers dependent on the platform for livelihoods. Reporting Approach Devansh’s work combines on-ground reporting with analysis of government data, court records, and academic research. He regularly reports from neighbourhoods, government offices, and courtrooms to explain how decisions on housing, transport, and the disruption economy shape everyday life in the city. Contact X (Twitter): @devanshmittal_ Email: devansh.mittal@expressindia.com ... Read More

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