Gig Workers Pay With Life For Quick Deliveries
At least one gig worker was a victim of a road accident every 3 days: Officials
HYDERABAD: Until a few years ago, running quick errands for forgotten groceries or household needs was a part of daily life. Today, that task falls to gig workers like Syed Wajeed, a former delivery agent who once raced through Hyderabad’s traffic to meet the “10-minute delivery” deadline — until a road accident left him jobless and in debt. Wajeed’s foot was fractured after a drunk biker rammed into him near Bahadurpura in July. “I was on my way back after completing a delivery. The company called once, asked for my medical bills, but never paid a rupee in compensation or insurance. I couldn’t work for weeks and had loans piling up,” he lamented.
His story mirrors that of thousands of delivery riders and drivers who form the invisible workforce behind India’s fast-growing gig economy. A NITI Aayog report estimated 7.7 million gig workers in 2020–21, projected to rise to 23.5 million by 2030. Yet, there are almost no safety nets for those injured or killed on the job — despite facing traffic hazards, unpredictable weather and growing pressure to meet near-impossible delivery timelines.
As per official road safety data, 91 gig workers have been victims of road accidents across Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda commissionerates in 2025 (till September) — roughly one in every three days. Cyberabad alone recorded eight deaths and 43 injuries, while Rachakonda reported four fatalities and 33 injuries. However, worker unions say these figures grossly understate the true toll, as many cases go unreported or unlinked to delivery platforms.
An Uber driver, who wished to remain anonymous, recounted a similar ordeal. “A film star driving ahead of me braked suddenly. I crashed and needed immediate surgery. I was hospitalised for eight days and will be bedridden for months. The company and police ignored my case. My brother is still fighting for justice,” he said.
Companies often tout emergency SOS features, but workers say they rarely work. In one 2023 Delhi case, a female Uber driver attacked with a broken bottle claimed no help arrived despite pressing the SOS button. “The system is unreliable. Whether it’s heavy rain, 45°C heat or midnight shifts, workers have to push through for incentives. Missing a delivery deadline means losing pay. The 10-minute delivery system is turning into a death race,” said Shaik Salauddin, founder and president of the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU).
He added that government assurances of financial aid remain unfulfilled. “The Chief Minister once announced Rs 5 lakh compensation for accident victims, but hardly anyone has received it. Companies respond only when families protest outside their offices,” he said. Labour experts argue that India’s booming platform economy urgently needs a national gig worker welfare framework to address safety, insurance and fair compensation. Without regulation, millions of workers like Wajeed continue to bear the risks that power the country’s convenience-driven economy.