Chennai traffic police impose fine on Swiggy, Zomato and other riders for rule violations

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The Chennai traffic police fined app-based delivery services a sum of Rs 1,35, 400 after registering 978 cases against their delivery partners. These companies include Zomato, Swiggy, Dunzo among others, according to data released by city traffic police. The statement also added that a special drive was conducted on March 30, during which these cases were registered. 

The police department said that food delivery services commit to deliver in a very short time, which is the primary reason why food delivery partners are forced to drive at a high speed.

“To curtail these violations, awareness programmes were regularly conducted for the food delivery partners with respect to the importance of traffic rules and the penalties for violation. In addition to these awareness activities, a special enforcement drive was conducted on Wednesday focusing on those violating traffic rules particularly, not wearing helmet and wrong side driving,” said the statement.

Cases against Swiggy stood the highest at 450 while Zomato has 278 and Dunzo has 188 cases against them. The maximum number of complaints was about signal violation, followed by other violations like missing helmet, using mobile, speeding etc.

The average time of delivery for both Swiggy and Zomato is currently 20-25 minutes.

“It is also noticed that, due to the nature of payment terms, most of the food delivery partners are flouting traffic rules like signal violation, wrong-side driving, driving without helmet, using mobile handsets while driving, and over speeding in an attempt to earn more by delivering quicker, endangering their lives and the lives of other motorists,” added the release.

Over the last few months, players like Blinkit and Zepto introduced ‘quick-commerce’ which is essentially a 10-minute delivery that has become a rage. Recently Zomato also announced 10-minute food delivery which has worried restaurateurs, angered gig worker unions and outraged social media users, who believe the company is putting the lives of delivery partners at risk.