Quick commerce players’ pledge to drop 10-minute delivery comes as a thumbs up for Kerala

The decision by quick commerce companies such as Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy’s Instamart to remove 10-minute delivery pledges from their platforms after being asked to avoid such commitments by the Union government has come as a big thumbs up for Kerala, as the State was the first to ask delivery app companies to drop the time limit. In a notice issued by the Kerala Motor Vehicles department on December 23, 2025, the online delivery app companies in Kerala were directed to follow road safety rules and make it part of their corporate policy.

According to Transport Commissioner C.H. Nagaraju, notices were issued to delivery representatives of Blinkit, Swiggy, Zepto, Bigbasket etc. following rise in traffic violations by delivery persons of these firms in the State.

The online platforms have also been given 15 days to streamline and align policies regarding road safety, failing which penal action will be taken against them. Notices were issued to dark stores and quick delivery platforms after the MVD noted a rise in rash and negligent driving by two-wheeler delivery persons of these companies. Speeding, rashness, and not wearing safety gear were some of the most commonly noted safety issues.

The gig workers had gone on strike on December 31 demanding scrapping of 7 or 10 min delivery promises. This ultimately led to the Union Labour Ministry’s latest directive to abandon timed delivery. After the intervention of Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in the issue in the wake of nationwide strikes by gig-worker’s unions demanding the scrapping of the 10-minute delivery options and restoration of earlier payout structures, the quick commerce platforms have agreed to remove the 10-minute delivery service.