Zomato’s Rest Points initiative comes amid the strong likelihood of an increase in the number of such workers in the coming future.
Indian restaurant aggregator and online food delivery company Zomato said on Thursday the platform has started building public infrastructure, which it calls Rest Points, to support the gig economy and delivery partners of various companies. Announced under the company’s ‘Shelter Project,’ rest points are claimed to be more than just a place to take a break between deliveries.
Explaining the initiative, company’s chief Deepinder Goyal said that the Rest Points “offer clean drinking water, phone-charging stations, access to washrooms, high-speed internet, a 24×7 helpdesk and first-aid support.” Zomato already has two Rest Points operational in Gurgaon and the company plans to open more in different locations soon.
“We believe that by providing a space for all delivery partners to rest, recharge, and take a moment for themselves, we can create a better environment that promotes their physical and mental health,” Goyal added.
Gig workers include delivery boys, cleaners, consultants, etc., and Zomato’s move comes amid the strong likelihood of an increase in the number of such workers in the coming future. According to a report by PTI, citing a study by NITI Aayog, 77 lakh workers were engaged in India’s gig economy in 2020-21. The workforce is expected to expand to 2.35 crore workers by 2029-30, it added.
Meanwhile, Zomato’s Goyal took to LinkedIn last month to announce 800 vacancies across five major roles. The move of bulk job vacancies is contrary to the massive layoffs across several companies globally, especially in the tech sector, as they prepare to cushion themselves from the global economic slowdown. Zomato also witnessed exits from some high-level positions in the last few months.
