New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha on Tuesday welcomed reports that major quick-commerce platforms such as Blinkit and Zepto have paused promotional claims promising grocery delivery within 10 minutes, calling the move a significant win for delivery workers, road safety and responsible business practices. Describing the development as the result of sustained pressure and timely government intervention, Chadha said the decision would help ease the intense and often dangerous burden placed on gig workers.

In a post on social media platform X, Chadha wrote, “Satyamev Jayate. Together, we have won,” reacting to reports that the “10-minute delivery” branding had been halted by several quick-commerce companies. The AAP MP has emerged as one of the most vocal political critics of ultra-fast delivery models, arguing that such promises encourage unsafe working conditions and expose delivery partners to constant stress and physical risk.

Chadha said the pause in branding followed “timely, decisive and compassionate intervention” by the Central government and was a necessary step to protect delivery riders from unrealistic expectations. “I am deeply grateful to the Central Government for enforcing the removal of the ‘10-minute delivery’ branding from quick-commerce platforms,” he said. According to him, the problem was not merely the delivery timelines but the way these timelines were aggressively marketed and operationalised.

“When ‘10 minutes’ is printed on a rider’s T-shirt, jacket or bag, and a countdown timer runs on the customer’s screen, the pressure is real, constant and dangerous,” Chadha said. He argued that such visual and psychological cues create a work environment where riders feel compelled to speed, cut corners and take risks on congested roads to meet expectations set by platforms.

The MP stressed that the decision would have wider benefits beyond delivery partners themselves. “This step will help ensure the safety of delivery riders and everyone who shares our roads,” he said, pointing out that reckless riding under pressure increases the risk of accidents for pedestrians, cyclists and other motorists as well.

Chadha has been actively engaging with gig workers over the past several months to highlight their concerns. He said he had spoken to hundreds of delivery partners who described being overworked, underpaid and constantly anxious about penalties, ratings and algorithm-driven incentives. “Many are risking their lives to fulfil an unrealistic promise,” he said, reiterating that speed-centric branding shifts the burden of execution almost entirely onto riders, while companies reap the marketing benefits.

His advocacy on the issue has extended beyond statements and parliamentary interventions. During Parliament’s winter session, Chadha raised the concerns of gig workers, calling for clearer labour protections, fair pay structures and safety norms. He has also sought to draw public attention to the issue through symbolic gestures, including hosting a delivery worker for lunch and sharing a video earlier this week of himself spending a day working as a delivery agent with Blinkit.

These efforts, he said, were aimed at humanising gig workers and showing the reality behind the promise of ultra-fast deliveries. According to Chadha, the glamour associated with “10-minute delivery” often masks the long hours, physical exhaustion and mental stress faced by riders, many of whom depend on such work as their primary source of income.

The pause in 10-minute delivery claims comes against the backdrop of growing scrutiny of quick-commerce business models in India. While platforms have argued that faster deliveries are enabled by technology, dark stores and efficient logistics, critics say the emphasis on speed inevitably translates into unsafe working conditions on the ground. Delivery workers’ unions and labour activists have repeatedly warned that strict timelines, performance penalties and customer ratings create a high-pressure environment that encourages dangerous behaviour.

The issue gained further prominence following delivery worker strikes on New Year’s Eve, when gig workers across several cities protested demanding better pay, safety measures, predictable rules and social security. During those strikes, Chadha had a public clash with Zomato and Blinkit founder Deepinder Goyal, who described striking workers as “miscreants” while defending the platforms’ role in creating jobs at scale.

Responding to Goyal’s remarks at the time, Chadha wrote on X, “Delivery partners across India went on strike demanding basic dignity, fair pay, safety, predictable rules and social security. The response from the platform was to call them ‘miscreants’ and turn a labour demand into a law and order narrative. That is not just insulting, it is dangerous.” He argued that framing labour protests as public order issues undermines legitimate worker concerns and discourages dialogue.

After the strikes, Goyal said on X that Zomato and Blinkit had delivered at a record pace on New Year’s Eve, claiming operations were largely unaffected by calls for strikes. He also said that support from local law enforcement helped keep a “small number of miscreants” in check, sharing delivery statistics from the night. These comments drew criticism from labour advocates, who said they reflected a dismissive attitude towards worker grievances.

Against this backdrop, Chadha’s declaration of victory over the pausing of 10-minute delivery branding was framed as a broader success for gig worker advocacy. He said the move showed that sustained public debate, political pressure and government intervention can push powerful platforms to rethink practices that may be harmful in the long run.

While the platforms involved have not formally announced a complete end to ultra-fast deliveries, the reported removal or pausing of explicit “10-minute” claims is seen as a symbolic shift. Critics argue that branding plays a major role in shaping customer expectations and delivery partner behaviour. Removing the explicit promise, they say, could reduce the psychological pressure on riders, even if fast deliveries continue in practice where feasible.

Chadha has maintained that his campaign is not against technology or convenience but against models that externalise risk onto the most vulnerable workers. He has repeatedly called for a regulatory framework for the gig economy that ensures minimum wages, accident insurance, social security and reasonable working conditions.

“The pressure should not be on a rider’s life and limb,” Chadha has said in earlier statements. “Convenience for consumers cannot come at the cost of human dignity and safety.”

As debates around gig work intensify, the pause in 10-minute delivery claims is likely to be cited as an early example of how public scrutiny and political intervention can influence platform practices. Whether this leads to deeper reforms in pay structures, algorithmic management and worker protections remains to be seen.

For now, Chadha has positioned the development as a milestone in a longer struggle. “This is a much-needed step,” he said, adding that the focus must now shift to ensuring lasting safeguards for gig workers. His message was clear: speed and scale should not override safety, fairness and dignity in India’s rapidly expanding digital economy.