"Not Robots": Raghav Chadha Underlines 3 'Pain-Points' Of Delivery Agents

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha on Friday urged Parliament to end 10-minute delivery services run by quick-commerce platforms. The Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab called this super-fast delivery trend a "cruel act" against the delivery riders who do all the hard work.

Speaking in the Parliament's Zero Hour, the AAP representative explained that this culture forces these gig workers to take massive risks, pushing them to meet crazy deadlines under huge stress. He praised the vast workforce powering modern India-from the riders at Zomato and Swiggy to the drivers for Ola and Uber, and technicians on platforms like Urban Company-calling them the "invisible wheels of the Indian economy."

Chadha argued that while instant commerce has changed our lives, we must not ignore the people making it happen.

Today in Parliament, I spoke about the pain & misery of:

Zomato & Swiggy delivery boys,
Blinkit & Zepto riders,
Ola & Uber drivers,
Urban Company plumbers and technicians.

They deserve dignity, protection and fair pay. pic.twitter.com/8ga2gxAoMu

— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) December 5, 2025

"Every day, we press a button on our mobile phone app and receive a notification... But behind these notifications, there's often a human being we don't even know about," the MP stated.

He contrasted the billion-dollar valuations of these major companies with the dire conditions of the gig workers, claiming their situation is now "worse than a labourer." He asked the House to consider the pain of these silent workers "who work in all weather conditions, risking their lives to ensure your order reaches your doorstep."

Chadha outlined three specific areas of suffering-or 'pain points'-that he urged the government to address:

The Fear Of Being Late

The pressure of the 10-minute delivery is the biggest offender, according to Chadha. He explained that a rider waiting at a traffic light is constantly worried, "If he's late, his rating will drop, his incentives will be cut, the app will log him out, and his ID will be blocked."

This stress, he said, leads directly to reckless driving, "That's why, to make a ten-minute delivery, he overspeeds, jumps red lights, and risks his life."

Coping With Angry Customers

The second problem is the verbal abuse riders face. Chadha said that if an order is just five to seven minutes behind schedule, the customer often phones up to scold the worker. When the delivery finally arrives, threats of complaint are common, and a single low rating can ruin their livelihood: "Then, by giving him a one-star rating, he ruins his entire month's performance and budget."

Low Pay And Tough Working Days

Chadha pointed to the severe working conditions, including low wages, high illness rates, and shifts lasting twelve to fourteen hours a day.

"Whether it's sunshine, heat, cold, winter... these people continue to work without protective gear, without special bonuses, without hazardous allowances," he said. He added that the workers are denied basic security: "They receive neither permanent employment nor humane working conditions, nor health or accident insurance."

Despite this, Chadha said, these workers try to maintain professionalism, adding, "They hide their pain, their job insecurity, and their helplessness. When they deliver your order, they smile and say, "Thank you, Sir, please give me a five-star rating."

"I want to point out that these people aren't robots; they're also someone's father, husband, brother, or son. The House should think about them, and this cruelty of ten-minute delivery should end," he said.