The Zomato and Swiggy riders risking their lives to deliver food

Every day, thousands of men ride at breakneck speed on India's roads to deliver food to homes and offices within minutes.

They battle a ticking clock, traffic and demanding customers - along with worries about how they will make ends meet.

Many of them opted for the gig economy out of desperation after losing their jobs during the Covid pandemic.

Underpaid and overworked, they say rising fuel costs are now cutting into their limited income.

Their situation has been complicated by rising competition between India’s start-ups to deliver food and groceries within 10 minutes.

“While using software [to run food apps], they have begun to treat us as software too,” one driver says.

Video by Anshul Verma