Manifold rise in fuel prices in Pune hits delivery partners hard

Pune: Sagar Kumar (name changed), a Katraj-based delivery agent working for a food aggregator app service, has been worried for the last few days. “I work hard to earn around Rs25,000 a month, which takes care of my family. But with fuel prices rising continuously, I am constantly wondering how much more I will have to work to make ends meet. The fuel price hike has already started affecting my earnings. To add to the stress, we don’t know if prices will rise further,” he told TOI.Sagar is not alone. Thousands of delivery executives associated with food delivery and quick commerce platforms are grappling with the impact of rising fuel prices. With petrol rates increasing four times in the last fortnight, many said their monthly budgets and savings had taken a severe hit.“We are paid weekly and payment depends on distance covered. For instance, we get around Rs25 for deliveries within 2-5km from a restaurant and around Rs40 for deliveries between 5-10km. Our two-wheelers are our livelihood and we require at least 5-6 litres of petrol daily on average. On some days, fuel consumption touches 10-12 litres,” said Swapnil Dorte, a delivery agent working in the Camp area.“Petrol prices in Pune have risen to Rs111.52 per litre from Rs103.82 barely a fortnight ago. There is also no clarity on whether the prices will rise further. In such a situation, how do we plan our household budgets?” he asked.Nimish Kanade, another delivery executive working for a quick commerce company, echoed, “We heard that employees of another quick commerce company in Pimple Nilakh went on a flash strike on Tuesday demanding higher wages. We cannot afford to go on strike because even one day without work affects us badly. But companies should understand our situation and revise wages according to the distance covered. We also have families to support.”Another food delivery partner pointed to mounting household expenses. “I have a child who needs to be admitted to school. Though we receive incentives, they come with conditions. We have to remain logged in from noon to 3pm and again from 7pm to 10pm. Working during the scorching afternoon heat is extremely difficult,” he said, adding, “No matter how much I work, I earn around Rs26,000 a month, and the rise in fuel prices has completely derailed my budget. Customers can tip us through the app, so I now try to be extra polite in the hope of earning more tips. Since my bike runs for almost 12-13 hours daily, it frequently develops technical problems and repair costs are another burden.”Keshav Kshirsagar, president of the Indian Gig Workers Front, told TOI that around 35,000-40,000 people in Pune are engaged in deliveries for food and quick commerce services.“The continuous rise in fuel prices has become a serious issue for delivery executives and we are receiving several calls and messages from them. We will hold a meeting with workers this week to understand their concerns and then approach the companies accordingly,” he said.