MHA order rekindles hope of earning for delivery boys

Deepankar Sharda

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 17

Local delivery boys working with various food aggregators heaved a sigh of relief as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) allowed opening of restaurants for home delivery.

On Sunday, the Centre extended the lockdown till May 31. Hotels and restaurants were allowed to operate kitchen for home delivery of food items. However, the UT Administration is yet to officially allow home delivery.

Sources claimed that the officials would now meet tomorrow to decide the future course of action. Earlier, the local restaurants and eateries were not allowed to run their businesses. The step had forced food aggregators like Zomato and Swiggy to stop operations, which directly affected the work of delivery boys. The MHA has now rekindled the hopes of these delivery boys. “The Centre order today came as a big relief for us.

The local administration should now permit home delivery of food items,” said Vivek, a local delivery boy. “Earlier, I used to get a minimum 10 to 15 orders per day, but since lockdown I have made only 28 deliveries of essentials only. I hope the MHA order will revive the food industry and we too make some earning,” said Atul Nagar, another delivery boy.

On Friday, online restaurant guide and food ordering platform Zomato had laid off around 13 per cent of its workforce on account of the Covid impact. However, delivery boys said it won’t affect their work. “The front staff will be the most hit. They will face job loss and salary cut. We were most affected by shutting of restaurants and eateries. If the Administration allows the eateries to operate, it will somehow help us revive our earnings,” said Kamlesh. “I used to work in double shift for a courier company and Swiggy. Since both are closed, I am surviving on the little savings I have. I skipped paying two EMIs of my motorcycle. I just wish things are back to normal,” said Prince Anand, a delivery boy.

‘Allow home delivery till 10 pm’

The local hospitality industry has demanded that the UT Administration should allow home delivery till 10 pm. “We welcome the MHA decision to open restaurants for home delivery. However, the local administration should allow us to function till 10 pm against the current restriction for working from 7 am to 7 pm,” said Ankit Gupta, president, Chandigarh Hospitality Association.