Raghav Chadha gig worker delivery video: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha has shared a full-length video documenting his experience as a gig worker, after spending a day delivering orders alongside e-commerce delivery partners on the streets of Delhi. The hour-long video, released on Monday, captures the physical strain, time pressure and unsafe conditions faced by gig workers on a daily basis.
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By donning the uniform of a quick-commerce platform and working as a delivery partner, Chadha sought to move beyond speeches and policy debates to understand the realities of the job first-hand. The initiative is part of his wider effort to push for better working conditions, safety norms and social security for gig workers, who form a growing segment of India’s urban workforce.
‘Words weren’t enough’: Inside Chadha’s day on Delhi roads
The video, shared on YouTube and social media platforms, shows Chadha riding pillion on a two-wheeler with a delivery partner, navigating traffic and cold weather during a night shift. In a post accompanying the video, Chadha described why he chose to experience the job himself.
“From Parliamentspeech to countless meetings with gig workers, I’ve advocated for their rights, but words weren’t enough. To truly understand, I lived it.”
He added, “In Delhi’s biting winter cold, I teamed up with Blinkit delivery boy Shivam for a full night shift hustling on two wheels, braving traffic and chill to deliver orders.”
Throughout the shift, Chadha interacted closely with Shivam, who explained how delivery partners are often forced to ride at high speeds and take risky routes to meet strict delivery deadlines, including the widely promoted 10-minute delivery target.
Shivam also highlighted that gig workers are expected to continue working regardless of weather conditions, whether during heavy rain, extreme heat or cold waves. The video further shows Chadha sharing a meal with fellow delivery partners, reinforcing his attempt to understand their lives beyond delivery metrics and app notifications.
From symbolic protest to policy push
Chadha’s on-ground experience follows weeks of vocal advocacy for gig workers. On New Year’s Eve, he joined delivery partners participating in a nationwide symbolic strike, demanding fair wages, improved working conditions and social security coverage from major e-commerce and food delivery platforms.
He spent the evening with protesting workers at Old Rajinder Nagar in Delhi, where delivery partners from multiple companies gathered to raise their concerns. Chadha said the protest remained peaceful and was meant to draw attention to the challenges faced by gig workers, who play a critical role in urban service delivery.
On January 4, Chadha welcomed the Centre’s release of draft social security rules for gig workers, calling it an important step forward.
In a social media post, he wrote, “Congratulations to all Gig Workers and Delivery Partners. There is good news for you. Central Government’s draft Social Security Rules are the first step towards recognition, protection and dignity for your work. Even though the Platforms…chose not to listen to your voices, the people of this country and the government did. This is a small win, but an important win.”
Momentum on the issue grew further on January 13, when Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya asked major food delivery and quick-commerce platforms to remove rigid ‘10-minute delivery’ commitments, stressing that worker safety must come before speed.
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Mandaviya held meetings with representatives of Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy and Zomato, advising them to eliminate strict delivery deadlines from their apps and promotional campaigns.
Following the announcement, Chadha joined gig workers in celebrating what he termed a significant victory.
In a video message, he said it was a memorable day as the Centre struck down private companies’ ‘10-minute delivery’ branding, calling it a major step towards ensuring safety, dignity and better working conditions for delivery partners across the country. |
