Ever since Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao's tweets about the traffic violation by pizza delivery boys, the food delivery aggregators have been on the defensive mode. They claimed that they do not force their delivery boys to deliver food items within a stipulated time.
The Bengaluru Police commissioner had tweeted “Do we have the heart to get a free pizza from a kid who is risking his life just because he crossed over 30 minutes. Am seriously considering asking Pizza companies to make it 40 minutes as these kids risk their lives by breaking all traffic rules.”
When contacted by THE WEEK, Zomato, one of the major food delivery services in the country, strongly defended their case. “We don't penalise our delivery partners over delayed deliveries. The expected time of arrival (ETA) takes into consideration and updates with the current traffic situation on route. With respect to 'On Time Or Free', neither the restaurants nor the delivery partners are notified of a particular order falling in this category, thereby ensuring both parties follow the due course for every order and are not hard-pressed on time,” said the company's spokesperson.
The Zomato spokesperson added that road safety training is a mandatory step during their induction process and a key part of the curriculum in their delivery partner university. “We engage with traffic police at various levels across many cities, including Bengaluru, and are continuously working with them to re-skill our delivery partners to ensure their adherence,” added the Zomato spokesperson.
also read
- Eternal CEO Deepinder Goyal links ageing with gravity in viral post, sparks debate on social media
- Is online food delivery and quick commerce contributing to India's rising obesity crisis?
- Zomato-Air India Maharaja Points deal: How to link your accounts and what are the offers available?
- Ordering food this Onam and Diwali? Zomato slyly raises platform fees by 20%
- No one is safe from GST scrutiny, not even Zomato! Food delivery co gets Rs 40 crore tax notice
On the other hand, the Swiggy spokesperson said its delivery partners engage with them on a principal-to-principal basis. “As a safety-focused organisation, the safety of our delivery partners and the public is of utmost importance to us. We actively promote the adherence of traffic rules among our delivery partners and do not rate or penalise them for late deliveries. Delivery partners are consistently sensitised on safe riding practices, safety gear and parking etiquette,” said the spokesperson.
Following the trail of Tweets from the Bengaluru Police commissioner, many citizens had also voiced their concern about the rash driving by delivery boys in the IT city that not only endangers their lives but also the lives of others on the road.
Strongly on the defensive mode, Swiggy further remarked that they also initiate necessary action against those found guilty of violating traffic rules, including termination of services. “We take the help of superior technology to predict realistic delivery timelines and route optimisation along with the largest delivery fleet in the country. So, we are able to maintain a reliable and seamless delivery experience both for consumers and our delivery partners. As part of our ‘Safety First’ initiative introduced last year, delivery partners undergo training on the various nuances of road safety, including guidelines, to ensure safer riding experience, emergency management, accident response, safety for self and emergency victims and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation techniques,” said Swiggy's spokesperson.
When contacted, the spokesperson of Jubilant FoodWorks Limited that runs the Domino's Pizza brand in the country declined to comment on the issue stating that they are one a silent mode at the moment.