Hyderabad: A Zomato delivery worker identified as Mohammed Shanawaz is in a critical condition in a Hyderabad hospital after a serious road accident during a delivery run, prompting fresh questions from gig workers’ representatives about safety and social security nets for platform-based riders.
The incident, which occurred late on Friday, January 2, has led to public appeals on social media for timely insurance and financial support for the injured worker’s family.
Accident and hospitalisation
According to posts shared by the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU), Shanawaz met with the accident while on duty as a delivery partner in the city and has since been undergoing treatment in a critical state at a private hospital in Kachiguda.
Union members say more than 24 hours have passed since the crash, and have tagged the company and its founder, Deepindar Goyal, online seeking clarity on the status of insurance claims and emergency assistance.
Concerns raised by TGPWU
In its statements on X, TGPWU has linked the case to broader concerns about quick-delivery models and the pressures they may create for workers on the road.
The union has urged the platform to ensure that the injured rider’s medical expenses are covered and that his family receives all benefits available under the company’s insurance and welfare policies.
Debate around 10-minute delivery
Gig workers’ groups have, for some time expressed apprehensions about “10-minute” or instant delivery services, arguing that such promises can translate into tighter timelines for riders and potentially unsafe driving conditions.
In the wake of the Hyderabad accident, these organisations are reiterating their call for a review of ultra-fast delivery commitments and for stronger safeguards for those who fulfil them on the ground.
