Image – Blinkit
As a heatwave grips large swaths of India, with several cities recording above-normal temperatures, food delivery and e-commerce platforms are rolling out a range of measures to protect their delivery partners from the scorching heat.
Food delivery platform Zomato has set up 450 rest stations across the country for its delivery partners, regardless of company, that come equipped with comfortable seating, complimentary drinking water, mobile charging points and clean washroom facilities.
The company has procured over 500,000 bottles of beverages, juices and glucose, which will be distributed to delivery partners operating across more than 450 locations across 250+ cities.
To respond to any health/medical emergencies, all delivery partners are provided with ambulance within 15 minutes and 24/7 SOS support across 530+ cities to ensure immediate and fast assistance when needed.
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“We are also signalling in advance that a heatwave is approaching and have introduced long sleeved Dry Fit T-shirts for all our delivery partners,” said Rakesh Ranjan, CEO, food delivery, Zomato.
Zomato also urged its X users to avoid ordering during peak hours in the afternoon unless absolutely necessary.
Swiggy's quick commerce platform, Swiggy Instamart, operates over 900 charging zones in high demand areas, providing rest areas, soft drinks, mobile charging points and toilets for all delivery partners across the industry.
Blinkit, the Zomato-owned quick commerce platform, has integrated SOS support into its delivery partners' app to provide quick assistance during medical emergencies.
Brinkit CEO Albinder Dhindsa said the company was installing air coolers in waiting areas of its stores to provide quick relief from the heat.
Ranjan further added that all delivery partners working with both Zomato and Blinkit are getting IPD coverage up to Rs 1 lakh and OPD coverage up to Rs 5,000 for medical support at no extra cost.
E-commerce platform Flipkart has also taken steps to protect its delivery workers from the scorching heat.
“Flipkart's supply chain is the backbone of our business and as an organisation that is employee-first and values a culture of caring, we ensure that our last-mile executives always have access to the right resources.”
“This summer season, our Wishmasters' day-to-day operations include several additions such as distributing glucose drinks, providing additional fans and coolers across our facilities, and conducting summer safety briefings to ensure heat advisories are adhered to,” said Prajakta Kanagrekar, vice president and HR lead, Flipkart.
