Blinkit halts 10-min deliveries after rider protests, labor ministry steps in
Blinkit has dropped its 10-minute grocery delivery promise following intervention from the Labor Ministry after over 200,000 riders went on strike nationwide on New Year's Eve 2025.
Riders said the rush for ultra-fast deliveries made their jobs riskier and slashed their pay.
The Labor Ministry got involved to address these concerns.
Why did riders protest?
Riders pushed back against the 10-minute rule, saying it forced them to speed through unsafe roads and led to lower earnings—pay reportedly fell from ₹555 for 32 orders to ₹448 for 43 orders.
Blinkit's CEO argued that actual delivery speeds were safe, but many riders felt otherwise.
What does this mean for gig workers?
This protest comes as India rolls out new labor codes aimed at better social security for gig workers.
Unions like IFAT are speaking up for safer work over faster delivery times—a shift that's even caused quick-commerce stocks to drop by about 20% since October.