Do We Really Need 10-Minute Deliveries? Ex-Jet Airways CEO Questions Zomato’s Deepinder Goyal
Ex-Jet Airways CEO questions Zomato’s 10-minute delivery; Deepinder Goyal defends it, citing dense stores and safe rider conditions.
Sanjiv Kapoor questions Zomato’s 10-minute delivery model, while Deepinder Goyal explains logistics and rider safety measures.
The debate over ultra-fast delivery resurfaced during nationwide protests by gig workers over pay, working conditions, and lack of social security benefits. Sanjiv Kapoor, the ex-Jet Airways CEO, put a straight but incisive question to Zomato creator Deepinder Goyal: “Is it a must for us to have deliveries of 10 minutes?”
The delivery that takes only ten minutes has caused major arguments in the gig economy. Goyal defended the model, explaining that dense dark store networks, not excessive pressure on delivery partners, enable these fast deliveries.
Kapoor raised a question about the necessity of 10-minute deliveries in highly populated city areas and pushed for 30 or 60 minutes deliveries to be considered instead, considering rider pressure, safety, and environmental impact. He stated that his inquiry should not be taken as a critique but as an invitation to think about scenarios like pooled deliveries or flexible time slots where delivery models would be redefined.
On this issue, a netizen elaborated on the logistics saying that customers frequently order from shops located within 1.5–2.5 km distance and that the 10-minute estimate is not very rigidly observed. Another person pointed out that hectic urban lifestyles and people’s readiness to pay extra for faster service make such models feasible.
Goyal gave more information about the operations via social platforms saying that the total time for picking and packing an order is approximately 2.5 minutes, while the delivery of the rider who covers a distance of less than 2 km takes around 8 minutes at a speed of 15 km/h. He clarified that the delivery staff are not responsible for delays and there is no original promised delivery time displayed on the timer, making it possible for the riders to work without pressure.
The conversation indicates the conflict between super-fast delivery expectations and the requirement of worker safety and eco-friendly logistics, thus creating a debate on the future of the gig economy in India.
