Survey Exposes Grueling Conditions for India's Gig Workforce
A comprehensive new survey has revealed disturbing realities about the working conditions of gig workers across India, with nearly one in every four platform workers clocking more than 70 hours each week. The study, conducted across ten major cities, paints a concerning picture of excessive work hours, safety risks, and inadequate protections for this rapidly growing segment of India's labor force.
Excessive Working Hours and Safety Concerns
The survey findings indicate that 57 percent of gig workers report working more than 49 hours weekly, far exceeding standard work schedules. Even more alarming is that approximately 25 percent of these workers endure over 70 hours of work each week, highlighting extreme work intensity in the platform economy.
Beyond excessive hours, the survey uncovered significant safety risks. Sixty-two percent of gig workers reported experiencing near-miss road accidents while performing their duties, while 27 percent confirmed having been involved in actual traffic accidents during their work. These statistics point to substantial occupational hazards faced by delivery and transportation workers daily.
Violence, Harassment, and Inadequate Protections
The safety concerns extend beyond road accidents, with 34 percent of respondents reporting harassment or violence while working on various platforms. This troubling finding indicates that gig workers face multiple forms of risk in their professional environments.
Despite these evident dangers, the survey revealed critical gaps in protection mechanisms. Forty-four percent of workers reported having no accident insurance coverage, while 62 percent lacked health insurance entirely. This insurance deficit leaves a majority of gig workers financially vulnerable when accidents or health issues occur.
Platform Accountability and Worker Distrust
The survey highlighted significant issues with platform accountability and worker trust. Sixty percent of gig workers received no safety training from the platforms they work for, and 56 percent expressed distrust in platform-run safety reporting systems. This combination of inadequate training and distrust in reporting mechanisms creates serious barriers to improving working conditions.
Environmental challenges also emerged as a major concern, with 84 percent of respondents reporting exposure to extreme heat during their work. Most workers indicated that platforms provided minimal or no protection during heatwave conditions, despite the health risks involved.
Survey Methodology and Context
The survey gathered responses from 1,000 platform workers across ten Indian cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Bhopal, Agra, Lucknow, Jaipur, and Patna during 2025. Researchers conducted face-to-face interviews using semi-structured questionnaires containing both open-ended and closed-ended questions.
The study covered workers across four key segments: food and grocery commerce delivery, quick commerce delivery, ride hailing, and household and personal work. This comprehensive approach provides a broad view of conditions across different types of gig work.
Political and Social Context
The survey's release comes against the backdrop of growing national conversation about gig worker conditions, sparked by a nationwide strike held on Christmas and New Year's Eve last year. Following this labor action, the Central Government directed quick-commerce companies to discontinue advertising 10-minute deliveries, citing worker safety concerns.
The findings were formally presented at an event organized by the non-profit Janpahal and Gig Workers Association at the Constitution Club of India. The event featured a screening of the film Zwigato followed by a panel discussion on the gig economy, with participation from RJD MP Manoj Jha, filmmaker Nandita Das, several gig workers, and moderation by journalist Siddharth Vardarajan.
During the discussion, Manoj Jha criticized platform companies for using app-based suspensions, algorithmic penalties, and intimidation tactics to silence workers rather than engaging in meaningful dialogue. He also questioned the practice of labeling gig workers as "partners," describing it as an attempt to obscure underlying social and economic disparities.
This comprehensive survey provides crucial data at a time when India's gig economy continues to expand rapidly, highlighting the urgent need for improved working conditions, better safety measures, and stronger social protections for millions of platform workers across the country.
