Swiggy, Zomato flag “Misinterpretation” of Delhi’s pedicab ban

Grocery delivery apps Swiggy and Zomato have complained to the Delhi government against handing out challans to their two-wheelers in the name of a ban on pedicab services in the national capital.

The food delivery platforms have also asked the government for clarification on the directive, claiming that the notice was misconstrued as the ban applies to pedicab service providers.

Swiggy has said in a letter to the government that food delivery drivers will be fined up to Rs 15,000 in the guise of banning pedicab services.

“Recent changes in regulations for pedicab services in Delhi have caused confusion and disruption for grocery/quick trade delivery services. Challans are being wrongly issued to our deliverers, even though the notification only applies to pedicab service providers,” a Swiggy spokesman told PTI.

He said some of the challans issued to delivery leaders are more than Rs 15,000.

“This has understandably created fear and concern among our delivery staff, who are critical to ensuring our customers receive their orders on time.”

“We continue to work closely with authorities to provide clarity on government guidance. It is our top priority to ensure our delivery staff are able to operate smoothly and serve our customers without interruptions,” the spokesman said.

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In seeking clarification on the matter, Zomato said in a letter to the Delhi government’s transport department that the notification was misinterpreted by RTO officials.

Dinker Vashisht, Group Vice President – ​​Public Policy, Regulatory and Sustainability for the online grocery delivery platform, said: “The said instructions have been misinterpreted by Regional Transport Office (RTO) officials who have started issuing Challans to delivery partners that have been in operation for last-mile delivery aggregators such as food delivery aggregators and e-commerce operators.”

“This has caused service disruption and confusion among delivery partners, who are now afraid to provide their service for fear of being fined and harassed on duty,” he added, calling for urgent intervention on the matter.

When contacted, a Zomato spokesman said, “Although the notice only applies to passenger cars, there is some misinterpretation locally.”

The Delhi Transport Authority issued a warning last month against pedicabs operating on Delhi’s roads, warning that it was a breach of the Motor Vehicles Act 1988 that would make aggregators liable for a 1 lakh fine.

The use of two-wheelers for commercial purposes is against the Motor Vehicles Act 1988. The first offense could result in a fine of Rs 5,000 while a second offense could result in a fine of Rs 10,000 and imprisonment for up to a year, the said Department in a public notice with.

The driver may also lose his driver’s license for three months.

The notice states that some app-based companies are posing as aggregators in violation of the 1988 Act. This will result in a fine of Rs 1 lakh.

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