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As Hyderabad witnesses incessant rains, gig workers braving adverse weather conditions have shared the challenges they face in delivering food and groceries and ferrying passengers to their destinations.
“I had to pay ₹650 from my pocket to the company for this raincoat,” said Hemant Kumar, a food delivery boy, while delivering orders in Banjara Hills. “The company doesn’t do much for our welfare and many times customers don’t understand our problems. If my bike breaks down in the rain or there is heavy rainfall and the order is late, customers complain to the company. This affects my rating.”
Cab driver Mohammad Javed emphasised how the incessant rains have hurt those in his profession. “During the rains we have to deal with bad roads and waterlogging, which damages our cars in the long and short term,” he said. The situation is made worse by the high cost of repairing modern vehicles, where even a faulty sensor – which according to him is an expensive component – can cause significant financial stress.
He explained how the bikes of people in his network were submerged in water during the recent heavy rains. Insurance companies often refuse to cover such damages, considering them an act of God. Besides, cab drivers and those ferrying passengers have to deal with the potential consequences of not being able to pick up a ride due to rain. “Customers are not able to walk even 50 metres because of the rain. If I am unable to reach a customer due to heavy rains and suppose I have to cancel the ride, the customer can lodge a complaint. This can lead to temporary suspension of my driver ID by the company,” he explained.
The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU), an organisation working for the welfare of gig and platform workers, recently presented the memorandum The letter to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) demands better access to comprehensive insurance and early warning systems for workers following the severe heatwave that hit the country earlier this year. TGPWU state president Sheikh Salauddin said while heat waves pose health hazards to workers, heavy rains also have a similar impact on them.
Mr Salauddin said, “There is a need for more real-time information on road conditions, waterlogging and which areas to avoid. Recently, a video clip went viral in which a delivery worker in Ahmedabad was working in knee-deep water, which is not good. The lives and safety of workers is important. If done correctly, algorithms can quickly give the right information to workers. Companies do not provide insurance. It is the right time for the government to step in and introduce the long-awaited bill for gig and platform workers.”
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