Amid ban demand on 10-minute deliveries, Odisha gig workers cite stress, safety and job anxiety

Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha recently urged the Centre to terminate 10-minute delivery services, calling them ‘cruelty’ towards gig workers who are pressured to meet extreme deadlines and work in hazardous conditions.

Raising the issue in the Rajya Sabha during Zero Hour last week, Chadha argued that behind every quick-commerce notification stands a precarious worker ‘who is someone’s father, husband, brother or son’.

He described delivery personnel of food, grocery and service platforms as the ‘invisible wheels of the Indian economy’, yet lacking protections that traditional labour receives. He also flagged three structural issues affecting gig workers: pressure linked to delivery speed, customer behaviour and harassment, and dangerous on-ground conditions.

According to his intervention, the 10-minute model encourages overspeeding and risky shortcuts, with riders fearing rating drops, incentive cuts or app logouts. He also pointed to delays caused by weather and traffic, despite the absence of hazard allowances, insurance or permanent employment.

Delivery Executives In Odisha Describe Local Realities

OTV reached out to several delivery executives across Bhubaneswar and Cuttack to understand whether Chadha’s concerns resonate on the ground. Workers said the 10-minute expectation often forces them to focus exclusively on speed from the moment an order arrives.

“It is not like we were set up in one day,” said Rabinarayan Sahoo, who delivers for a supermarket chain in Bhubaneswar.

He described how warehouses are arranged for quick pick-ups and barcoded delivery. “The hardest part of this job is meeting the deadline, but more often than not, I meet it easily since I am a local and know the layout very precisely. But if there were no 10-minute rush, I would be more relaxed, and both I and the parcel would reach the customer safely.”

Pressure, Close Calls, And Navigation Risks

Workers said the most significant challenge matches Chadha’s first concern- pressure linked to delivery time. “It is stressful. This job is very demanding as you have to stay on guard all the time,” said Mohammed Shakeel, who delivers instant groceries in Cuttack. He said he has had “close shaves” while navigating through bylanes to avoid main-road traffic.

Several described the tension between traffic conditions and app-set deadlines. “Earlier, we used to deliver orders in about 30 minutes, but ever since quick commerce kicked in, people expect us to deliver their items in a blink,” said Kanhu Kumar Das, who has delivered in both cities- Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.

He cited highway traffic in Bhubaneswar and routing issues in Cuttack as persistent risks. “Ten minutes sounds good for consumers, but is heavily taxing for the delivery executives,” Das added.

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Fear Of Losing Jobs If Ban Is Imposed

While Chadha asked the House to consider banning 10-minute deliveries, several workers cautioned about employment consequences.

“If the government wants to ban this platform, it can, but it must ensure that we do not lose our jobs,” said delivery personnel Ravi Nayak. He explained that the expansion of quick-commerce has created a high demand for delivery staffm stating, “Can the government ensure that if these apps shut down, we would have a backup job?”

Others highlighted the incentive mechanism that currently shapes earnings. “At rush hours, rains, or festivities, we receive surge bonuses, and it helps to meet my needs,” said Prabhu, a food delivery executive. However, he acknowledged the impact of missing deadlines, pointing to fee cuts and lost incentives.

Balancing Protection With Livelihood

Workers broadly agreed with Chadha’s assessment of pressure, navigation hazards and customer expectations. Yet many believed that any regulatory intervention must consider income stability, local familiarity with routes, and consumer demand that drives the business model.

Gig workers in Odisha’s major cities now operate in an ecosystem where employment opportunities have expanded, but delivery timelines remain compressed.