Deepinder Goyal (Pic: X)
Since the beginning of the year, Zomato’s gig worker issue went viral. The food delivery giant Zomato has fired about 5,000 gig workers a month on account of fraud, while Deepinder Goyal, the founder and CEO of the parent company Eternal, stated that around 150,000 to 200,000 workers quit the platform voluntarily.
The controversy was triggered by gig worker unions’ demonstrations against the 10-minute delivery system, which they termed exploitative. During the uproar, Deepinder Goyal took the initiative to express his views by defending the company’s working model and the environment offered to the delivery partners.
The discussion, which was initially confined to Zomato and its employees, quickly escalated and opened up to the media and the public, politicians like Raghav Chadha and even billionaire entrepreneurs got engaged in the online discussions, with many supporting Goyal and arguing that gig work provides flexibility, income, and opportunities in a tight job market.
In a video podcast with YouTuber Raj Shamani, Goyal addressed concerns head-on, explaining the dynamics of the gig economy. He said those who leave voluntarily consider gig work as largely transient. His comments highlighted how Zomato balances fast delivery, safety, and welfare, showing that the story behind the headlines is far more nuanced than just “pressure” or “exploitation.”
Goyal’s assertion was made just a few days after a number of delivery and quick commerce gig employees, including those at Zomato, took to the streets and stopped working on New Year’s Eve due to poor working conditions.
The unions of gig workers pointed out issues such as the unavailability of social security and underpayment.
The Zomato founder had countered these claims saying, “The company provides insurance in case a gig worker dies in an accident and also extends job offers to families.”
He added, “If a person works on the platform for 8-10 hours for six days a week, the person can easily earn upwards of ₹25,000.”
Not only gig workers, customers too can play tricks! To check the honesty of all, Zomato has introduced its clever ‘Karma’ system, which rates both customers and delivery partners. In case a complaint arises, Karma steps in like an impartial referee, verifying the authenticity of both parties before giving a resolution. Imagine it as Zomato’s in-house trust-o-meter, where good behavior gets rewarded, and tricks don’t get through!
Goyal noted that “it’s the company that takes the hit 50-70 per cent of the time.”
Capital Raising and Investor Communication
On raising capital, Goyal said that the company never gave predictions to investors, instead only spoke about market size and opportunity available.
Defense of Gig Work Model
Amid a heated public debate over gig work conditions following a call by delivery workers for a nationwide strike, Eternal CEO Deepinder Goyal defended Zomato and Blinkit’s labour model.
He argued that platform work “is filling a critical gap in India’s job market while offering flexibility, income support and basic welfare benefits to delivery partners.”
Economic Mobility and Social Impact
Speaking on Raj Shamani’s podcast, Goyal said, “We are empowering a generation of people to educate their children, to improve their future, which would have otherwise not been possible. There are no jobs out there.”
Deepinder Goyal emphasized that ultra-fast delivery timelines do not translate into pressure on riders. “Our delivery partners are not given any fixed timeline that they must deliver the food by a certain time,” he said. “10 minutes is not enabled through us asking people to drive fast; 10 minutes is enabled by density of stores. They are just so close to you.”
He highlighted Blinkit’s dense network in major urban markets, noting that Delhi-NCR alone has over 400 Blinkit stores, which reduces travel distances and ensures quicker deliveries without pushing riders. On worker welfare, Goyal stated that Eternal provides several benefits directly, rather than relying on statutory mandates. “We have shelters, we pay them on time and fairly, they can work whenever they want. We offer social security, insurance and other benefits, privately,” he said, emphasizing the company’s commitment to a fair working environment.
Addressing account deactivations and churn, he noted that exits are inherent to the gig model. According to him, Zomato terminates close to 5,000 delivery partners every month due to fraud-related cases. In contrast, he said, “between 1.5 lakh and 2 lakh delivery partners leave the platform voluntarily each month, reflecting the non-exclusive and flexible nature of gig work rather than systemic distress.” On flexibility, Goyal argued that most delivery partners work part-time by choice, adding that demands for full-time employee benefits such as provident fund or guaranteed salaries do not align with the gig model. He also maintained that “faster delivery promises are driven by logistics optimisation and store proximity, not algorithmic pressure on riders.”
On the 25th and 31st of December, the protests were organized by delivery workers who were demanding better wages, social security, and relief from the notorious 10-minute delivery pressure. However, on the other hand, the business on the Internet remained almost the same. Zomato and Blinkit had the highest volumes ever, and Deepinder Goyal pointed out that “more than 75 lakhs orders were delivered across the two platforms in one day.” While the gig workers were indicating their problems, the companies’ operations showed their strength. It’s a very clear difference between the real world, where the protests were taking place, and the digital world, where the deliveries were done without any disturbance, demonstrating that the gig economy is still working, no matter what the situation is.
(With Inputs)
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Aishwarya is a journalism graduate with over three years of experience thriving in the buzzing corporate media world. She’s got a knack for decoding business news, tracking the twists and turns of the stock market, covering the masala of the entertainment world, and sometimes her stories come with just the right sprinkle of political commentary. She has worked with several organizations, interned at ZEE and gained professional skills at TV9 and News24, And now is learning and writing at NewsX, she’s no stranger to the newsroom hustle. Her storytelling style is fast-paced, creative, and perfectly tailored to connect with both the platform and its audience. Moto: Approaching every story from the reader’s point of view, backing up her insights with solid facts.
Always bold with her opinions, she also never misses the chance to weave in expert voices, keeping things balanced and insightful. In short, Aishwarya brings a fresh, sharp, and fact-driven voice to every story she touches.
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