In Focus by The Hindu In Focus-Parley | Is the 10-minute delivery model necessary?
Jan 8, 2026
Prashant Kamal, National General Secretary of Yuva Hallabol and advocate for gig workers, teams up with Kamal Karanth, cofounder of staffing firm XPheno. They discuss the recent strike by over a lakh gig workers demanding safety over rapid delivery models. Prashant criticizes the 10-minute delivery as a luxury, not a necessity, highlighting workers' demands for safety and fair pay. Kamal warns that excessive regulations might stifle job creation, while emphasizing that broader job opportunities are key to improving conditions for gig workers.
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Speed Extracted From Human Labor
- The 10–20 minute delivery promise is a competitive choice, not a consumer necessity, and it extracts speed from workers.
- Prashant Kamal warns the model keeps a massive workforce under unstable pay and constant threat of deactivation.
Quick Commerce Became Market Reality
- Quick commerce has rapidly grown and become a de facto necessity for many consumers, driving large market volumes.
- Kamal Karanth argues the sector creates jobs fast and fills an employment gap even if some uses could be deemed unnecessary.
Balance Flexibility With Protection
- Protect workers with flexible but enforceable social security measures rather than forcing full-time conversion.
- Karanth suggests adding protections while preserving gig flexibility to avoid killing the employment model.