E-commerce deliveries in Hyderabad were hit on Saturday, as police seized vehicles, and imposed fines on delivery executives/drivers for violating lockdown norms.
The staff working for food delivery firms such as Zomato and Swiggy, and e-groceries firms like Big Basket have objected to the police excesses, saying that the government order on lockdown has exempted e-commerce operations from the lockdown restrictions.
The city-wide obstruction and seizure of vehicles of delivery executives have adversely impacted e-commerce deliveries.
When asked for a response to the row over disruption in e-commerce and app-based food delivery services, Telangana IT and Industries Minister K T Rama Rao told
Food delivery workers were stuck with food parcels and their vehicles were seized by the police. They were told that the seized vehicles would be released only after the lockdown, that too after paying a hefty penalty, said the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union.
“As it is, most of the kitchens are closed by 2.45 pm. They are not allowing the deliveries even within the stipulated time,” a Swiggy delivery boy said.
Later in the day, the police department released a statement saying that movement of goods vehicles will be allowed only between 9 pm and 8 am. “No goods vehicle will be permitted between 10 am to 9 pm,” said Anjani Kumar, Hyderabad Police Commissioner.
The police have increased vigil after Chief Minister K Chandrashekar directed them to implement the lockdown norms more strictly.
“This notification will put a lot of hardship on the citizens. Free movement of essential goods and services is critical for life to go on,” said T N Hari of Big Basket.
He has sought the intervention of the Chief Minister, IT and Industries Minister K T Rama Rao, and Telangana Director General of Police M Mahender Reddy for allowing the vehicles to move unobstructed.
“The drivers and delivery workers were allowed to operate ever since the lockdown was imposed ten days ago. But today, the police have begun to harass delivery workers in different locations in Hyderabad by either seizing their vehicle or imposing heavy penalty on them in the name of imposing strict lockdown,” said Shaik Salauddin, Founder-President of Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union.
There was no prior communication from the app-based transport and food delivery companies about the restriction in service. The companies closed their apps and stopped taking orders when the police started obstructing the drivers and delivery workers, he said.
He demanded that the fines imposed should be waived off or borne by firms-- Ola, Uber, Swiggy Zomato, Dunzo, Amazon, and Flipkart.