As India grapples with unprecedented heatwaves, quick commerce and e-commerce giants are intensifying efforts for delivery worker heat protection. With temperatures soaring past 40°C across the nation, the well-being of essential service providers navigating hours on the road has become a critical concern. Companies like Zomato, Amazon, and Swiggy are implementing a range of proactive initiatives to safeguard their dedicated fleet from the scorching summer sun. Zomato, for instance, has launched pilot programs deploying specialised cooling vests to over 2,500 delivery partners across 14 cities, as announced by founder Deepinder Goyal.

The company is also offering subsidised UPF 50+ sunscreen jackets via its partner app, specifically designed for outdoor use. Amazon is significantly expanding “Project Ashray,” its vital network of air-conditioned rest stops. These facilities provide delivery workers with crucial cool-down zones between assignments during peak afternoon hours in major urban centres, offering much-needed respite, ensuring hydration, and actively reducing heat stress. Despite these corporate interventions, labour unions, including the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) and the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union, are advocating for more stringent, mandatory protections.

They’ve formally urged the Ministry of Labour and Employment for compulsory cooling breaks during heatwave orange and red alerts, free access to drinking water and cooling centres, and exemption from penalties for halting work due to extreme heat. Ensuring robust delivery worker heat protection remains paramount as India faces increasingly severe summers, demanding both enhanced corporate responsibility and decisive policy-level reforms to secure worker safety.