SOURCE :- SIASAT NEWS
Hyderabad: The government of Telangana and Zepto, the quick commerce marketplace platform, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish five Project PRAGATI Centres across Hyderabad, creating spaces where gig workers across platforms can rest and access essential facilities.
The initiative would address gaps in basic urban infrastructure for workers who spend much of their day on the road. Hyderabad needed such spaces, as according to a 2024 HeatWatch survey of 166 gig and platform workers here, nearly 69 per cent of surveyed workers lacked access to clean washrooms, while more than 80 per cent didn’t find shaded resting areas or cooling facilities on the job.
Open to gig workers across platforms
Vikas Sharma, Chief Operating Officer, Zepto, said, “India’s gig workforce is projected to grow from 77 lakh workers in 2020–21 to 2.35 crore by 2029–30. As this workforce grows, the infrastructure supporting it must evolve too. Access to drinking water, clean washrooms, a safe place to rest or somewhere to charge a phone are basic requirements for anyone spending much of their working day on the move.
The PRAGATI Centres will be open to gig workers across platforms, including workers in quick commerce, food delivery, e-commerce, apparel and other last-mile delivery networks. Depending on the locations, each centre could see hundreds of worker visits.
“We already provide these facilities to delivery partners across our store network. Through Project PRAGATI, we are extending it beyond Zepto’s ecosystem and working with the government of Telangana to create spaces that can be accessed by gig workers across platforms,” Sharma said.
‘Cities must respond to everyday infra needs of workers on the move’
Jayesh Ranjan, Special Chief Secretary to the Government, Metropolitan Area & Urban Development Department, said, “Gig and platform workers are an increasingly important part of the urban economy… cities must respond to the everyday infrastructure needs of people working on the move. Project PRAGATI will create accessible spaces that address some of these practical requirements and are available to workers irrespective of the platform they are associated with.”
Each of the centres will provide all-weather resting space, drinking water, washroom access, first-aid support, mobile charging points, and WiFi connectivity. They will also host periodic health camps and facilitate awareness around e-Shram registration for eligible gig and unorganised workers. Zepto will fund and maintain the centres on an ongoing basis.
Zepto’s store network already provides delivery partners access to core facilities such as drinking water, washrooms, resting space, charging and first-aid support. Project PRAGATI extends this approach to the wider gig-worker ecosystem through dedicated, platform-agnostic centres.
SOURCE : SIASAT
