India's Gig Workers Get Heard on Pay and Safety

Yogesh starts his day at 4 a.m., races through 50 deliveries across 12 hours, and earns just enough to cover fuel and food before doing it all again tomorrow. Now, his reality is helping reshape India's entire gig economy.

The 33-year-old Delhi delivery worker represents one of India's 7.7 million gig workers, a number expected to triple to 23.5 million by 2030. For years, these workers moved invisibly through traffic, making 10-minute grocery delivery possible while their own working conditions remained largely ignored.

That's changing. Recent regulatory scrutiny forced quick-commerce platforms to stop advertising ultra-fast deliveries, acknowledging the safety risks extreme speed creates. But workers like Yogesh say the real problems go deeper than delivery timers.

"If we do it slowly, we will have to work 12 to 15 hours," Yogesh told The Better India. "If we want to finish in 10 hours, then we have to run." His earnings fluctuate wildly throughout the day. Morning orders pay Rs 30 each, but midday rates drop to Rs 22 for the same work.

There are no fixed shifts, no sick days, and no guaranteed minimum pay. To earn Rs 1,100 daily, he must complete 60 deliveries while paying for his own fuel and food. "If the money is right, everything will be right," he says. "Otherwise, how long can someone keep running?"

Workers and researchers agree on what would actually help. Transparent pay formulas based on distance and time rather than shifting incentives would reduce pressure to speed. Predictable earnings would let workers plan their days and lives.

India's labor framework already recognizes gig workers as a distinct category deserving health insurance, accident coverage, and income protection. A NITI Aayog report calls for universal social security as platform work becomes embedded in urban life. The challenge is turning those policies into daily reality.

The Ripple Effect

When delivery workers gain stability, entire families benefit. Predictable income means parents can plan for children's education, build small savings, and work sustainable hours that don't destroy their health. Better working conditions also improve service quality, creating wins for platforms, consumers, and workers alike.

The conversation has shifted from how fast packages arrive to how fairly the people delivering them are treated. India's gig workers are no longer invisible, and their voices are building momentum for real structural change that could reshape platform work globally.