Delhi NCR pollution: Orders pile up for online platforms in Delhi NCR, but delivery staff stay away due to bad weather

Delivery companies across quick commerce, ecommerce and food delivery platforms in north India, especially in Delhi NCR are grappling with the twin challenges of a surge in orders and manpower shortage as fewer workers are willing to venture outdoors due to thick smog and worsening pollution levels.

Many schools have shifted classes online while offices have implemented work-from-home arrangements due to pollution. Consequently, consumers are increasingly opting for online orders to reduce the need to step outside.

“Earlier, I used to deliver 30-35 orders a day, but now it’s gone up to 45-50,” said a delivery partner working at Zepto. At night, deliveries take 5 to 10 minutes longer than usual because of the smog, he added.

Ecommerce giant Amazon has distributed N95 masks to protect against smog and is urging its service partners to provide them to their employees as well. The company is also seeing a fourfold increase in demand for air purifiers as northern India continues to face severe pollution.

“At Amazon, the health and safety of our partners, associates and drivers is of utmost importance. Amidst the current air quality concerns in Delhi NCR, as an immediate step, we have issued advisory on overall dos and don’ts,” said a spokesperson for Amazon India.

A Zomato delivery partner based in Delhi said the platform is offering incentives for deliveries made during the smog and cold weather. “The smog and cold are the biggest challenges when stepping out for deliveries. I work a 12-hour shift, and it gets really tough.”

Shaik Salauddin, president of Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers urged aggregator companies to offer free winter gear to delivery workers to ensure their safety and wellbeing in harsh weather.“Delhi’s severe smog and poor air quality have created hazardous working conditions for quick-commerce delivery partners. Workers must navigate through dense smog, exposing them to high levels of air pollution while fulfilling orders. Increased health risks and limited visibility have made their jobs even more dangerous and challenging,” said Salauddin.