‘Algorithms can’t understand our pain’: How Maharashtra’s gig workers survive the heat wave

In Mumbai, where the IMD has been issuing yellow alerts since May 7, Tejas Patil, a Zomato rider on a 12-hour shift, says even a brief pause carries a cost. “If I stop for five or 10 minutes to drink water or sit under the shade, the platform may cancel my next order automatically. If two orders get cancelled or rejected, I lose my incentive for the day.”

A specially abled Zomato delivery partner on duty in Pune. (Express photo by Shubham Kurale)

Patil covers himself with inners and headscarves and carries a water bottle throughout his shift. Swiggy rider Salit Mukhiya spends nearly Rs 200 a day on sabja seeds, cucumber and juice just to stay hydrated. As per figures shared by Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal, delivery partners earn gross monthly incomes of around Rs 26,500, coming down to nearly Rs 21,000 after deductions. The heat adds to their expense.

No shade, no water

In Pune, Parshuram Kamble, who rides through Shivajinagar, describes the small negotiations that define his afternoons. “There are very few parks and they are usually closed during the afternoon, so we have to search for spots just to escape the sun.”

In Mumbai, relief at restaurants depends on discretion. “If the restaurant is relatively empty, managers sometimes let us sit inside the air-conditioned area while the order is getting ready. But once customers start arriving, we are told to wait outside,” said Zomato rider Ajit Khope.

One Swiggy worker in Mumbai took two days off after developing severe abdominal cramps. “I had heat-induced diarrhoea,” he said, adding that he bore the costs out of own pocket. Swiggy states it offers insurance benefits, including accidental coverage and outpatient consultations, but riders alleged reimbursements often don’t cover routine expenses unless hospitalisation is involved.

The Maharashtra government recently issued an advisory recommending measures, including rescheduling work to cooler hours, setting up water booths and distributing ORS through primary healthcare centres, for outdoor informal workers during heatwaves. The SOP, however, is for protection of outdoor informal workers in 15 urban high heat risk districts of the state that did not include Mumbai and Pune.

Gig workers are seen on their way to deliver orders, in Mumbai on 08 May 2026. (Express photo by Sankhadeep Banerjee)

‘The algorithm cannot understand our pain’

The strain is the hardest for differently abled workers. Girish Patekar, a Zomato delivery partner who operates near Pune’s Bharati Vidyapeeth area on a battery-powered wheelchair, had a spinal injury in 2018 that disabled his lower body.

“I have no choice but to work, whether it is scorching heat, chilling cold or heavy rain, because I have the responsibility of my family,” he says. While his colleagues complete 15 to 30 orders a day, he manages four or five. Traffic in the evenings drains his wheelchair battery faster, forcing him into the punishing afternoon heat.

Pramod Pawde, another specially abled Zomato rider in Pune’s Akurdi area, says, “During a heatwave, the conditions become even worse. Staying in the sun too long leads to dehydration, fatigue and dizziness. And the app’s algorithm cannot understand our pain.”

What the platforms say

In response to queries, Zomato said delivery agents can access over 5,000 rest points countrywide near restaurants, petrol pumps and service stations, offering water, shaded seating and washrooms. Last month, it announced a pilot initiative involving cooling vests for 2,500 riders across 14 cities, designed for temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. Compared to the company’s 4.73 lakh monthly active delivery partners, the pilot covers only a small section of riders. Most riders The Indian Express spoke to said they were unaware of it. Blinkit riders can use break rooms at dark stores, with 50 per cent of those stores offering free medical consultations.

Swiggy says it is distributing cooling vests and complementary glucose-fortified water or glucose sachets to its workers, and has relaxed login requirements during lunch-peak hours. “Riders can also choose to go offline at any point of time without facing any penalties or delays,” a spokesperson said. Ghube, however, said he received neither. “I didn’t get any cooling vest or any complimentary glucose sachets from Swiggy,” he said. On asking how login requirements have been relaxed, Swiggy didn’t respond further.

(some names have been changed on request)