No instant gratification for Q-com workers
Low pay & long hours: Gig workers struggle to make ends meet
In the race to provide groceries and meals in record time, quick commerce platforms like Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart have become integral to everyday life. However, behind the promise of convenience lies a life of struggle for gig workers who face long hours, traffic-filled streets, and low pay. Despite their hard work, many find themselves trapped in a cycle of exhaustion and financial insecurity.
Keshav Yadav, 26, had a permanent job, with fixed hours and a fixed monthly salary of INR 15,000. However, lured by the prospects of earning more in the gig economy, he left his job to join Zomato, a food delivery platform. A year later, he regrets his decision, realising that the financial stability he once had now feels like a distant dream.
“Back then, I had a steady income, but I thought the gig economy would offer me better opportunities. Now, I realise I was wrong. Every day feels like a battle. I wake up early, work late into the night, and still can’t make ends meet. The money I earn barely covers my basic expenses,” Yadav tells Media India Group.
Yadav, who works relentlessly through scorching heat and torrential rain, is paid INR 10 for every kilometre he travels. Even on good days, he completes just 10 to 15 orders, barely earning INR 500-600 by the end of the day. After fuelling his bike, he is left with just INR 400, a sum that hardly covers his daily needs.
“Every single day, I wake up early, and no matter how cold, how hot or how rainy it is, I get on my bike and head out to make deliveries. The roads are chaotic, and the pressure is constant. I get paid just INR 10 for every kilometre I travel and four hundred rupees for an entire day’s work. It is so frustrating because no matter how hard I push myself, no matter how many hours I work, it feels like I am just scraping by, struggling to make ends meet. I wonder, is it even worth it? The effort, the exhaustion, and the little I get in return, it is just not adding up. I am giving it my all, but I can’t even cover my basic needs. It feels like I am stuck in a never-ending cycle, always working, always hustling, but never getting ahead. Sometimes, it is hard not to feel invisible, like I am just a cog in a machine, never valued, never seen,” he adds.
Initially, he believed that the flexibility of gig work would offer him more freedom and financial benefits, but the harsh reality is something else entirely. With little control over his schedule and the pressure to keep earning more, he feels trapped in a cycle that never ends.
“I used to have weekends and festivals off in my previous job, which meant I could spend time with my family and recharge. But now, in this job, if I want to earn a decent amount, I have to work on weekends and during festivals. Those are the days when the order rush is the highest, and the pressure to deliver is even greater. If I don’t work then, I will miss out on the money I need to survive. I can’t afford to take a break, but at the same time, I am sacrificing the time that used to be mine. It feels like I am always chasing the next delivery, always working, always on the move. The regret I feel now is overwhelming; I gave up stability for this endless grind, and sometimes, I wonder if it was worth it,” he adds.
According to a survey conducted by Borzo (formerly WeFast), a global same-day delivery company, 77.6 pc of gig workers earn less than INR 2,50,000 annually in India, as revealed by responses from around 2,000 workers across Tier I, II and Tier III cities. The respondents, employed by major companies like Zomato, Swiggy, Uber, and Amazon, represent a diverse cross-section of the gig economy. The survey highlights the struggles of these workers, from low earnings and long working hours to the constant battle to meet basic living expenses.
Amit Purii, a 28-year-old who has completed his B Tech, never imagined that his career would lead him to the uncertainty of gig work. Despite his education and aspirations, the severe lack of job opportunities in India has left him with little choice. His desire to support his family pushed him into the gig economy, but the reality of the work has made him deeply dissatisfied.
“I am not happy with this job. I never thought I would end up here. I have a B Tech degree, and I have been looking for a proper job for months, but the situation in India is so bad right now that opportunities are scarce. This is the only option I have, because I can’t just sit idle. I have responsibilities my family relies on me. But even in this job, the money is barely enough. INR 10 for one kilometre? That is nothing. It is insulting, really. But what can we do? Our government is not doing anything to improve the situation, and honestly, it feels like no one cares. The private sector, the so-called elite companies they exploit us, but when we try to speak up, we are ignored. I am stuck in a system that doesn’t value me, but I have no choice. I have to keep going, even though I feel like I am getting nowhere. It is frustrating, and every day, I wonder how much longer I can keep up with this,” Purii tells Media India Group.
The precarious nature of gig work extends beyond low income. A staggering 62 pc of gig workers in India do not have any savings, leaving them vulnerable to financial shocks. Purii recounts how a recent bike breakdown threw his entire month’s budget off track.
“I had to borrow from a friend to get it repaired. Missing even one day of work means losing out on earnings, and that is a luxury I can’t afford,” he adds.
Quick commerce platforms promise efficiency and affordability for customers, but the business model often comes at the expense of their workforce. Workers are classified as independent contractors, which exempts companies from providing benefits like health insurance, paid leave, or retirement plans.
“We are treated like machines, nothing more. The app just keeps pushing us to go faster, faster, and faster, with no regard for our well-being. Our safety doesn’t matter to them. We risk our lives every single day fighting traffic, battling the weather, and working endless hours. And for what? No one cares. It feels like we are invisible. If something happens to me while I am out here, who is going to take care of my family? Who will ensure they are okay? The app doesn’t think about that. It just wants more, more, more, with no consideration for the toll it is taking on us. We are not just cogs in the system; we are human beings with families, with lives. But every day, I feel like I am being pushed beyond my limits, expected to give more than I can possibly offer. And then there are the bulk orders that clearly need two people to handle, but we are expected to deliver them alone. If we complain, the order is just reassigned to someone else, leaving us with even more pressure. It is exhausting, and no one seems to care,” Dilkhush, a 24-year-old delivery boy, tells Media India Group.
Despite the bleak circumstances, the gig economy is growing at an unprecedented rate. A Niti Aayog report estimates that the number of gig workers in India will rise from 7.7 million in 2020-21 to 23.5 million by 2029-30. While this growth signifies increasing opportunities, it also underscores the urgent need for systemic reforms to protect workers’ rights.
“We are treated like disposable resources. No one cares if we get sick, if we get hurt on the job, or if something goes wrong. We are independent contractors, so we are supposed to handle everything ourselves. But when things get tough, there is no one to turn to for help. The companies just keep pushing, but they don’t provide any safety nets. I have a family to feed, and no matter what happens, I can’t afford to take a day off. But if something happens to me, who will look after my family? We’re not even treated with respect by our own people,” Rajan (name changed), a delivery boy who works with Instamart, another Q-com company, tells Media IndiaGroup
India’s gig workers, who form the backbone of industries like quick commerce, remain excluded from basic labour protections due to outdated laws. Despite their critical role in driving economic growth, the government has yet to implement reforms that address their unique challenges, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and financial insecurity, says Syed Mujtaba, a human rights lawyer and labour rights activist, based in Jammu.

Naveen Gautam
“India’s labour laws remain stuck in a time when gig work was not even a concept, leaving millions of workers in the quick commerce and online delivery sectors entirely unprotected. These gig workers are the invisible engines driving the convenience we enjoy, often at the cost of their own safety, health, and financial stability. By classifying them as independent contractors, companies avoid providing essential benefits like health insurance, paid leave, or fair wages, shifting all the risks onto the workers while profiting from a low-cost, overworked labour force. This creates a system where workers are paid less, work more, and shoulder heavier burdens to survive. We urgently need labour law reforms to ensure gig workers are recognised, respected, and provided with the protections they deserve. Without this, we are perpetuating a cycle of exploitation and inequality that undermines the dignity of millions of workers,” Mujtaba tells Media India Group.
Naveen Gautam, a human rights lawyer based in Delhi, has also been a vocal advocate for the rights of marginalised communities. With years of experience in addressing labour and economic rights, he highlights the precarious conditions faced by gig workers in India, who often grapple with unstable incomes and lack of legal protections.
“As a human rights lawyer, I see the rise of gig workers as a troubling sign of rising unemployment and growing economic instability. No one wants their livelihood to depend on an app, where a single complaint can lead to termination. It is a vicious cycle of bondage and poverty that traps the most vulnerable,” Gautam tells Media India Group.
Despite these drawbacks, the sheer absence of jobs in India continues to drive an ever-increasing number of people to turn to Q-com to survive at any cost.