Boys on bikes are back for work

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:30.03.2020

Black, orange and red t-shirts returned to the empty streets of Chennai after food delivery apps were given the go-ahead to resume their operations from Sunday.

Food delivery agents had been rendered jobless for the past four days by the countrywide lockdown since Tuesday evening.

With their safety masks on, the food soldiers ferried cooked dishes from eateries to the doorsteps of hungry residents. D Siva, a delivery boy, said he facilitated 10 orders on Sunday. “I deliver 30 orders on Sundays, but it dropped to 10. Still, it was a good day as the number of hours for delivering food has been restricted,” he said.

The delivery boys were stopped at the gates of most apartment complex, where customers came to receive their orders. Some food delivery apps offered masks and reimbursements on hand sanitiser receipts to their agents. A food delivery app also allowed customers to pay tips to its delivery agents ranging from ₹20 to ₹50 and above, which was added to the food bill.

A delivery agent picks up an order at Pallavaram on Sunday. Most delivery agents working with food aggregators had been rendered jobless by the lockdown