Goyal also outlined the financial structure of gig work.

Zomato 10-Minute Delivery Controversy: Gig Workers Protest, CEO Goyal Responds

The Telangana Gig & Platform Workers’ Union (TGPWU) has sharply criticised Zomato’s ultra-fast delivery strategy, alleging that CEO Deepinder Goyal is “trying to save himself” amid growing unrest among delivery partners over the 10-minute delivery promise. The statement comes against the backdrop of a nationwide strike by gig workers late last month, which, it said led to delays in as many as 60 per cent of orders on peak days.

Shaik Salauddin, founder president of the TGPWU, said that while Goyal’s posts on social media have helped the public understand the company’s position, “many of our questions still remained unanswered.” He urged Zomato leadership and platform workers to sit together and “discuss what is right and what went wrong” to resolve the escalating dispute.

At the centre of the workers’ ire is the 10-minute delivery mandate, which the union called a “mental and physical stress for all the delivery boys” and demanded its immediate removal. Salauddin warned that if grievances are not addressed, the recent action was just “a teaser” for larger protests yet to come.

Deepinder Goyal reiterated the company’s defence of the gig model, sharing data on earnings and working patterns of delivery partners. According to figures posted by him, average hourly earnings for Zomato delivery workers increased about 10.9 per cent in 2025, rising to roughly INR 102 per hour from INR 92 in 2024. These figures exclude tips and reflect what the company says is a steady growth in compensation over time.

Goyal also outlined the financial structure of gig work. He noted that a partner working 10 hours per day for 26 days a month could gross about INR 26,500, which, after typical fuel and maintenance costs, would translate to nearly INR 21,000 net monthly earnings. He highlighted the flexible nature of gig work, noting that the average delivery partner logged in for only 38 days in 2025, with most working around seven hours on those days.

Defending the model further, Goyal added that demanding full-time employment benefits such as a provident fund or guaranteed salaries “doesn’t align with what the model is built for,” framing gig work as a “flexible, stop-gap earning option.”

Source: The Tribune