Vijayawada Food Delivery Workers Face Livelihood Crisis Amid LPG Shortage
A sudden and severe shortage of commercial cooking gas in Vijayawada, directly linked to the ongoing geopolitical conflict involving Iran, has led to the widespread closure of hotels and restaurants across the city. This disruption has severely impacted thousands of food delivery workers who depend entirely on platforms like Swiggy and Zomato for their daily income.
Sharp Drop in Orders Leaves Workers Struggling
With eateries suspending operations, orders on food delivery apps have plummeted dramatically. Nearly 4,000 people in Vijayawada rely completely on these services for their livelihood. As major hotels and popular tiffin centres shut down, delivery partners report being left waiting for orders that rarely materialize.
Srikanth Bathula, a delivery partner, shared his plight: "We used to complete 15–20 orders a day. Now we hardly get 2 or 3. Without restaurants operating, our work has almost stopped. It's very difficult to manage daily expenses."
Another worker, Sravan Kumar Sandra, echoed these concerns: "We are completely dependent on these apps. Since most hotels are closed, there are no orders. Many of us don't know how long we can continue like this."
Workers Turn to Alternative Income Sources
Faced with this uncertainty, several delivery workers have begun exploring other options to sustain themselves. Many are registering with bike taxi services as a temporary measure to cope with the income loss.
Sravan Kumar added: "Some of my friends already started working with bike taxi apps. We may also have to do the same if the situation continues."
The workers express hope that the LPG shortage will be resolved soon, allowing restaurants to reopen and their livelihoods to return to normal. The crisis highlights the vulnerability of gig economy workers to external shocks, such as geopolitical tensions affecting supply chains.
