 "Heavy rains impact food delivery and quick commerce in north India")
Heavy rains and waterlogging across north India have caused significant disruptions for quick commerce and food delivery platforms, leading to widespread order cancellations and non-delivery across hundreds of pin codes, according to a report by The Economics Times (ET). The adverse weather conditions have also severely impacted foot traffic at restaurants and entertainment hubs, particularly in the Delhi-NCR region.
Restaurant chains have reported a significant drop in business, with some establishments seeing footfalls decline by up to 50 per cent over the weekend. Dine-in cancellations in the Delhi-NCR region have spiked by 50 per cent in the past four days due to waterlogged streets and traffic concerns.
Additionally, roadblocks have disrupted fresh supplies, and delivery riders are struggling to fulfill orders.
Netizens have shared numerous videos and photos online, depicting severe traffic jams and waterlogging in cities like Delhi-NCR, Haryana, Punjab, and even Pune in the West. The conditions have led to dine-in cancellations and delivery delays, despite rain surge charges implemented by delivery platforms.
Heavy rains disrupt Delhi-NCR logistics
Navdeep Dahiya, a weather forecaster and programme manager at Zomato, which also owns quick commerce platform Blinkit, took to social media platform X to highlight the ongoing heavy rains in Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Faridabad. He noted that various parts of these cities are experiencing severe waterlogging, with conditions expected to worsen.
Food delivery platforms have been working to mitigate the impact of rain disruptions over the years, but executives acknowledge that waterlogging continues to cause temporary operational challenges. With predictions of heavy rains for the next two weeks across Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan, and Punjab, quick commerce players anticipate further impacts on business operations.
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Monsoon challenges impact food delivery
During the monsoon season, most people opt to stay indoors and order. However, it is also a time when delivery partners are hesitant to step out. Drop in manpower, poor road conditions, waterlogging and other logistical issues leave most delivery businesses with no choice but to wait for the situation to improve.
A Swiggy spokesperson confirmed to ET that while orders continue for both food and quick commerce, the company’s priority is ensuring the safety of their delivery partners. “During rains, the rain hardship allowance increases with increasing intensity and even after,” the spokesperson was quoted by the business daily, adding that Swiggy is closely monitoring rider locations in waterlogged areas and providing assistance through its ‘Ride and Repair’ initiative in case of breakdowns or delays.