Zomato CEO Rebutts Critics of 10-Minute Delivery

As thousands of gig workers across India’s metropolitan hubs staged a coordinated walkout on New Year’s Eve, Zomato Founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal has issued a firm defense of the company’s controversial 10-minute delivery service, “Blinkit.”

Despite growing pressure from labor unions and road safety advocates, Deepinder maintains that the “instant” model is not only operationally sound but also safer for riders than traditional delivery timeframes.

The strike, which saw significant participation in cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi, was organized to protest declining base payouts and the perceived physical risks associated with ultra-fast delivery targets.

Zomato CEO’s Stance: “Predictability Over Speed”

Addressing the primary criticism—that 10-minute windows force riders to break traffic laws—Deepinder Goyal argued that the “speed” of the delivery is a result of logistical proximity rather than rider velocity.

According to Deepinder, the system relies on a dense network of “dark stores” (micro-warehouses) located within a 1-to-2-kilometer radius of the customer.

“The 10-minute delivery model is safer for our partners because they don’t have to navigate long distances or race against time on highways,” Deepinder stated in a recent social media interaction.

He emphasized that the algorithms are designed to provide “predictable” routes, claiming that riders on the 10-minute track actually maintain a lower average speed than those on standard 30-minute food delivery runs.

Union Pushback: The “Algorithm of Anxiety”

The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers’ Union (TGPWU) and other labor bodies have labeled Deepinder’s defense as “disconnected from reality.”

Union leaders argue that while the distance may be short, the pressure to maintain a high “order-per-hour” ratio to earn a livable wage forces riders into high-stress situations.

The strikers have presented a list of demands that directly challenge the “Instant” model:

• Removal of the 10-Minute Timer: Unions want the visible countdown clocks removed from the rider app to reduce psychological pressure.
• Accident Accountability: A demand for Zomato/Blinkit to take full legal and financial responsibility for accidents occurring during “instant” windows.
• Base Pay Increase: A shift from the current ₹15–₹25 per order to a minimum of ₹50 to account for rising fuel and living costs.

Safety Data and Public Perception

To bolster its defense, Zomato recently released internal data suggesting that accident rates in its “instant” segment are 20% lower than in its standard delivery business.

The company attributes this to the fact that riders stay within familiar, low-speed neighborhood streets rather than crossing major intersections.

However, the “public perception” battle remains uphill.

Recent surveys indicate that 65% of urban consumers feel “guilty” or “anxious” when ordering from 10-minute services, fearing for the rider’s safety.

In response, Zomato has begun a pilot program in Bengaluru to remove the “10-minute” branding from the customer-facing interface, focusing instead on “Ultra-Fast” without a specific time promise.

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