Eternal’s Launches Several Initiatives To Support Delivery Partners During Heatwave

New Delhi, Jun 13, 2025: In light of the ongoing extreme weather conditions, Eternal Ltd (formerly Zomato Ltd) has introduced a set of measures aimed at safeguarding the health and well-being of delivery partners onboarded on its platforms. These initiatives have been designed to provide both immediate relief and sustained support during periods of extreme heat.

The company has implemented the following measures:

1. Rest points at restaurants & dark stores: Partnered with 4,500+ restaurants across India to provide rest areas, drinking water, and mobile charging stations for all delivery partners. These facilities are also available at all Blinkit dark stores nationwide. Designed to support the broader gig economy, these rest points are accessible to delivery partners across platforms, regardless of their association with Eternal.

2. 24x7 SOS & Insurance: To address medical emergencies, ambulances and 24x7 SOS support are available in 800+ cities for all delivery partners onboarded on Zomato and Blinkit. Additionally, all active delivery partners are insured with an IPD cover of up to ₹1 lakh and an OPD cover of up to ₹5,000, both of which include coverage for heat-related illnesses. In case a medical professional advises rest, the insurance also provides a loss-of-pay compensation for up to 15 days.

3. Weather union: Through a pioneering weather-union system, the company sends delivery partners preemptive alerts about upcoming heatwaves, along with reminders to stay hydrated and protected. Regular in-app communication also encourages customers to offer drinking water to delivery partners at the time of delivery.

4. Protective gear: Introduced summer protective gear on the in-app Partner Bazaar, including UV-protective jackets, neck and hand fans, caps and water-bottles at highly discounted prices to ensure greater comfort during deliveries in high temperatures.

5. Higher pay & higher flexibility: Given the extreme weather conditions during these months, April to June is when delivery partners earn the highest per-order payouts. At Eternal, systems are designed to prioritise safety over speed, delivery partners are neither pressured nor penalised to meet fixed delivery timelines, and no promised delivery time is shown to customers. They are also encouraged to take voluntary 10-minute breaks every hour to rest and pause order acceptance.