India’s growing commercial LPG shortage is beginning to rattle the country’s food delivery ecosystem, leaving gig workers with fewer orders and shrinking
daily incomes. For delivery partners who depend on high order volumes to make a living, the sudden disruption has come in the form of long working hours online, with very little work coming in. A food delivery rider in Delhi working with Zomato experienced the slowdown firsthand on Thursday. What should have been a routine shift quickly turned into one of his slowest workdays in months, according to an ETNow report. Until recently, he would typically finish 25–30 deliveries in a single day, earning enough to manage rent, groceries and other basic expenses. But on March 13, his order count dropped dramatically, states the report. “Restaurants are running limited kitchens due to gas supply shortage. I am delivering food on time, but getting limited orders. I have only delivered 6-7 orders so far,” he said in the ETNow report as he explained that his usual daily delivery count is 25-30 orders. The decline is not limited to one platform. Riders working with Swiggy say they are facing similar disruptions. A Swiggy delivery partner described a steep fall in demand during his shift, as per the report. “I usually deliver around 40 orders in a day,” he said. “Today, I did just 10–12 deliveries. Many outlets I go to say they don’t have gas or are waiting for cylinders.” Gig Workers Struggle With Limited Alternatives Many restaurants, cloud kitchens, dhabas and catering businesses have reportedly reduced operating hours or temporarily halted cooking due to the lack of commercial LPG cylinders. With fewer kitchens running, the number of food orders on delivery apps has fallen sharply, leaving thousands of riders logged in but idle. Some delivery partners hoped they could offset the losses by switching to quick-commerce operations such as Instamart, Swiggy’s grocery delivery arm. But opportunities there remain limited. “When I joined Swiggy, I was also registered on Instamart. Sometimes I get Instamart orders if they face a crunch of riders,” one rider explained in the report. “But I cannot fully switch. There is no rider crunch there right now, and services are running normally.” Union Warns Of A Nationwide Crisis The Gig and Platform Service Workers Union says the situation reflects a much broader disruption affecting gig workers across the country. In a statement issued on March 12, the union estimated that food delivery orders on major platforms have dropped by 50–60 per cent due to the LPG supply crunch, as per the ETNow report. “Within the union, there is panic,” said Nirmal Gorana, national coordinator of GIPSWU. “Workers are telling us orders are dropping rapidly. Many depend on daily earnings. Even a few days like this can create issues.” The union also highlighted the financial strain workers are facing. “Our members are starving,” the release said. “Families are skipping meals, and children are going hungry. A gig worker from Delhi, a father of two, told us, ‘From 30 deliveries a day to just 5–10, and now platforms threaten to deactivate my ID for low performance.’” Global Supply Disruptions Behind The LPG Shortage The LPG shortage is linked to disruptions in global energy supply chains triggered by escalating tensions in the Middle East. The Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping passage for oil and gas, has seen tanker movement disruptions and surging insurance costs. These factors have slowed LPG shipments to India, tightening supplies of commercial cylinders used by restaurants and food businesses. While domestic LPG for households has largely been shielded from shortages, commercial users, including restaurants, street vendors, caterers and cloud kitchens, are facing significant constraints. As a result, fewer kitchens are operating at full capacity, which has a direct knock-on effect on food delivery demand and gig worker earnings. Workers Seek Urgent Government And Platform Support According to the union, nearly one crore workers across related sectors, from delivery riders to cloud kitchen employees, could be affected by the crisis. The organisation has urged the government to intervene quickly and ensure an uninterrupted commercial LPG supply for food businesses. It has also demanded financial relief for workers. Among its proposals are Rs 10,000 compensation for affected gig workers, a three-month pause on ID deactivations, guaranteed minimum incentives, and inclusion of gig workers under the Code on Social Security, 2020. “Platforms must not punish workers for order crashes caused by global events,” the union said. “They must compensate and protect those who power India’s app-driven economy.”
