New Year’s Eve Strike May Disrupt Food Deliveries Across India

Raga News Zone | National Desk

Food delivery services across India may face significant disruptions on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2025, as gig workers plan a nationwide strike demanding better pay, safer working conditions, and improved job security. Platforms like Swiggy, Zomato, Blinkit, Zepto, Amazon, and Flipkart could see reduced delivery capacity on one of the busiest days for online food and grocery orders.

The strike is being organised by several unions, including the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT). Workers in major cities such as Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Kolkata, and Chennai are expected to participate, potentially affecting last-minute deliveries and festive celebrations.

Gig workers cite concerns over declining earnings, unsafe working conditions, arbitrary penalties, and extreme delivery targets, particularly the ultra-fast 10-minute delivery promises, which they say compromise both safety and income.

Impact on Customers

If a large number of delivery partners join the strike, customers may experience:

Longer delivery times or order delays
Cancellations of food and grocery deliveries
Limited availability of delivery partners
Increased surge pricing

Industry experts advise customers to place orders early and consider offline alternatives for groceries and prepared food. Restaurants are also taking measures, such as in-house deliveries or early order schedules, to minimise disruption.

Company Response

Delivery and e-commerce companies are attempting to reduce the impact by offering incentives to retain delivery workers, planning contingency measures, and ensuring critical deliveries are prioritised.

The strike highlights growing tensions in India’s gig economy, as workers demand fair pay and better working conditions. While aimed at improving worker welfare, the action may affect New Year celebrations that rely heavily on app-based deliveries.

More updates are on the way—stay tuned with Raga Zone.