The True Cost of Your 10-Minute Delivery
My phone screamed. Not a gentle buzz or a polite chime. A harsh alarm bell erupted from the Swiggy app, jolting me with its intensity. This was the sound of a rejected order, and it cost me Rs 30 instantly. For three days last week, I became a delivery worker in Delhi, navigating chaotic traffic and the complex architecture of India's gig economy. Working for Zomato, Blinkit, and Swiggy, I completed 23 deliveries and earned just Rs 782. That's roughly Rs 34 per hour, well below minimum wage standards, and it exposes the grim reality behind India's booming convenience economy.
The Stark Numbers: Long Hours, Meager Pay
I rode 105 kilometers on a scooter over three days. My work spanned more than 15 hours. After deducting Rs 250 for fuel, my net earnings were a mere Rs 532. This calculation ignores vehicle maintenance, phone bills, and the physical strain of navigating Delhi's roads for hours. The base pay per order ranges from Rs 35 to Rs 55, depending on distance. To survive, workers must chase incentives and bonuses, which come with strict conditions. A single cancellation can wipe out these extra earnings.
Algorithmic Control and Penalties
The apps function as relentless managers. On Swiggy, rejecting orders triggers that jarring alarm and immediate fines. I faced four rejections, resulting in three Rs 30 penalties and a temporary account suspension. Zomato put my account on hold for 15 minutes after I declined some orders. Blinkit blared a similar alarm when I missed a delivery spot by a few hundred meters. These sounds are not gentle reminders. They are designed to unsettle and control, creating a sense of crisis where workers operate alone, monitored by an unforgiving algorithm.
The Social Cost and Unseen Labor
Delivery workers often move through a parallel, unseen infrastructure. At a high-end mall in Vasant Kunj, I entered through a nondescript rear entrance marked for service staff. A lift labeled "garbage lift" carried me to the restaurant. Guards ensured workers did not cross into customer areas. This segregation is deliberate, highlighting urban inequality. I received no tips during my 23 deliveries, and courteous customer interactions were rare.
There is also unpaid labor. At a Blinkit dark store, I helped a packer assemble a large order without extra pay. Two of my Blinkit deliveries weighed 10-15 kg, requiring climbs up three or four floors in buildings without elevators. For one such delivery involving a 2.5 km ride and a strenuous climb, I earned Rs 33.11, including a weight-based incentive of just Rs 1.24. This extra effort vanishes into the algorithm, unrecorded and uncompensated.
Company Claims vs. Ground Reality
Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal recently stated that average hourly earnings for their delivery partners could reach Rs 102 in 2025. He suggested this translates to about Rs 26,500 per month gross, or Rs 21,000 net after fuel and maintenance. Eternal's shareholder letter reported average monthly earnings of Rs 27,726 in 2024 for workers logging at least eight hours daily for 26 days. However, achieving these numbers demands impossibly long hours, peak-time availability, and near-total order acceptance. This strips away the promised flexibility, making gig work resemble formal employment without benefits.
Worker Struggles and Government Steps
Delivery workers have staged strikes, including one on New Year's Eve, demanding fairer pay, labor protection, and regulation under minimum-wage frameworks. Many cannot afford to protest, fearing lost wages and company bans. The government has notified reforms to labor codes, legally recognizing platform workers and providing access to health, disability, and accident insurance. Aggregators like Swiggy and Zomato must contribute 1-2% of their annual turnover to a social security fund. Authorities have also intervened to stop platforms from advertising 10-minute deliveries, citing safety concerns.
The Human Toll Beyond Arithmetic
The job is transactional and isolating. Workers spend shifts alone in traffic or waiting for pickups. There are no colleagues for support, no shared breaks. The cycle is relentless: the algorithm assigns, the worker delivers. Onboarding costs add to the burden. I paid Rs 1,201 to join Swiggy and Rs 1,799 for Zomato, with options for installment deductions from earnings. Workers also buy company jerseys and bags, becoming mobile advertisements.
Insurance coverage remains inconsistent. Swiggy's insurance tab was unavailable during my work, though a company source claimed coverage exists from day one. Blinkit and Zomato provide some insurance, including Rs 1 lakh for outpatient treatment and Rs 10 lakh for accidental death. The new labor codes aim to address these gaps, but implementation is key.
My experience was temporary, but for millions, this is daily life. The convenience economy thrives on their labor, yet the costs—financial, physical, psychological—are borne by workers alone. As India's gig sector grows, projected to employ over 23 million by 2030, the need for fair treatment and dignity becomes urgent. The algorithm watches, listens, and when necessary, screams. But behind every notification is a human being navigating impossible demands for precarious pay.
