New Delhi, 31 Dec

Food delivery platforms Zomato and Swiggy have rolled out higher incentives for their delivery partners, a move they say is part of their routine festive-period operations. This comes as gig workers’ unions have called for a nationwide strike on New Year’s Eve, demanding better pay and working conditions.

The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers' Union (TGPWU) and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) have claimed that lakhs of workers are expected to participate in the strike. Industry sources said the action could impact food delivery and quick commerce platforms such as Zomato, Swiggy,Blinkit, Instamart and Zepto during one of the busiest days of the year.

According to people familiar with the matter, Zomato has offered delivery partners payouts ranging from Rs 120 to Rs 150 per order during peak hours between 6 pm and 12 am on 31 December. The platform has also indicated that delivery partners could earn up to Rs 3,000 over the course of the day, depending on order volumes and worker availability.

Zomato has additionally waived penalties on order denials and cancellations for the period, the sources said, adding that such measures are typically adopted during high-demand festive and year-end periods.

“This is part of our standard annual operating protocol during festive periods, which typically see higher earning opportunities due to increased demand,” an Eternal spokesperson told PTI. Eternal owns the Zomato and Blinkit brands.

Swiggy has also stepped up incentives around the year-end period. As per people aware of the development, the platform is offering delivery partners the opportunity to earn up to Rs 10,000 across 31 December and 1 January. On New Year’s Eve, Swiggy is advertising peak-hour earnings of up to Rs 2,000 for the six-hour window between 6 pm and 12 am to ensure adequate rider availability.

In a joint statement, TGPWU and IFAT said, “As of last night, over 1.7 lakh delivery and app-based workers across India have confirmed participation, with numbers expected to rise further by evening”.

The unions said the 31 December action follows a  25 December strike across Telangana and other regions. “The 25 December action sent a clear warning to platform companies about falling earnings, unsafe delivery pressure, and loss of dignity at work.

However, companies responded with silence -- no rollback of reduced payouts, no dialogue with workers, and no concrete assurances on safety or working hours. This continued indifference has made today's strike unavoidable,” the statement added.

The Gig and Platform Service Workers Union has also announced a nationwide strike on 31 December, calling on workers to log off platforms. “All gig workers, platform workers, digital platform workers, app-based workers, and online freelancers are earnestly requested to participate in the national strike by shutting down all work-related applications and abstaining from providing services on 31 December 2025, thereby making the strike united and effective,” it said.