IIT Delhi study flags 12-hour shifts and heat risks for gig workers
An IIT Delhi study has found that many gig workers in Delhi are working long hours in extreme heat. The findings have sharpened calls for formal protections on breaks, safety and health support.
India’s gig economy, built on quick deliveries and app-based services, may be expanding faster than protections for the workers sustaining it. A new study by the Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Centre (TRIP) at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has found that 56% of gig workers work more than 12 hours a day, often in extreme heat and under pressure to complete deliveries quickly.
The findings raise questions about whether long working hours, exposure to heatwaves and road safety risks are becoming hidden costs of the rapidly growing platform economy.
The study notes that during periods of extreme heat, workers commonly reported headaches, fatigue, muscle cramps and heat rashes. Researchers warned that prolonged exposure to such conditions could have more serious long-term health effects.
Delhi has recently recorded temperatures nearing 45 degrees Celsius, with heatwave conditions affecting large parts of the city.
Ankur kumar, a delivery rider operating from Noida, said heat has become one of the biggest challenges of the job.
“While the pressure for fast delivery is certainly there, the heat poses the biggest challenge right now,” he said.
Kumar said he worked 14 hours in a day under direct sunlight, taking only a one-hour break and two days off each month. According to him, this schedule allows him to earn between Rs 25,000 and Rs 28,000 monthly.
RESEARCH SEEK FORMAL RECOGNITION FOR GIG WORKERS
The IIT Delhi team has recommended that gig workers be formally classified as “outdoor workers”, arguing that current labour and heat protection frameworks do not adequately cover them.
According to Deepti Jain, Assistant Professor at IIT Delhi’s TRIP Centre and lead researcher of the study, gig workers occupy an unclear position in existing labour systems.
“The very essence of gig work implies earning based on the volume of work performed. This is a very nascent economic sector; these workers fit neither the category of traditional outdoor workers nor that of formal employees,” Jain said.
She added that gig workers have not yet been recognised as outdoor workers under existing Heat Action Plans, despite their prolonged exposure to harsh weather conditions.
Researchers have recommended regulations covering:
Maximum working hours
Heat protection measures
Road safety guidelines
Access to breaks and rest facilities
Emergency healthcare support
Helmet use and speeding emerge as concerns
The study was conducted in two phases during July and October, surveying over 400 delivery riders.
Among the findings:
50% of riders were not wearing helmets
For riders using low-powered two-wheelers or mopeds, helmet non-compliance rose to 94%
12% exceeded the prescribed speed limit of 25 km/h, with some travelling up to 45 km/h
Researchers argue that the pressure associated with rapid delivery expectations creates a major “blind spot” in worker safety.
The preliminary report has already been shared with the Delhi Labour Department, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) and other stakeholders. The final report is expected to be submitted soon.
DEMAND FOR MIDDAY BREAKS AND REST AREAS
Worker groups have increasingly raised concerns over operating during extreme temperatures.
The Gig and Platform Service Workers Union recently appealed to the Delhi government, saying that delivering services in temperatures between 40°C and 45°C, combined with humidity, has become increasingly difficult.
Among the demands made by workers are:
Mandatory breaks between 12 pm and 3 pm
Shaded resting areas
Access to drinking water
Emergency medical facilities
The IIT Delhi findings add data to a growing debate around whether convenience-driven services and ultra-fast delivery models are placing disproportionate physical strain on workers.
As India’s gig economy expands, the study suggests that discussions around labour rights may increasingly shift from earnings and incentives to health, safety and working conditions.
India’s gig economy, built on quick deliveries and app-based services, may be expanding faster than protections for the workers sustaining it. A new study by the Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Centre (TRIP) at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has found that 56% of gig workers work more than 12 hours a day, often in extreme heat and under pressure to complete deliveries quickly.
The findings raise questions about whether long working hours, exposure to heatwaves and road safety risks are becoming hidden costs of the rapidly growing platform economy.
The study notes that during periods of extreme heat, workers commonly reported headaches, fatigue, muscle cramps and heat rashes. Researchers warned that prolonged exposure to such conditions could have more serious long-term health effects.
Delhi has recently recorded temperatures nearing 45 degrees Celsius, with heatwave conditions affecting large parts of the city.
Ankur kumar, a delivery rider operating from Noida, said heat has become one of the biggest challenges of the job.
“While the pressure for fast delivery is certainly there, the heat poses the biggest challenge right now,” he said.
Kumar said he worked 14 hours in a day under direct sunlight, taking only a one-hour break and two days off each month. According to him, this schedule allows him to earn between Rs 25,000 and Rs 28,000 monthly.
RESEARCH SEEK FORMAL RECOGNITION FOR GIG WORKERS
The IIT Delhi team has recommended that gig workers be formally classified as “outdoor workers”, arguing that current labour and heat protection frameworks do not adequately cover them.
According to Deepti Jain, Assistant Professor at IIT Delhi’s TRIP Centre and lead researcher of the study, gig workers occupy an unclear position in existing labour systems.
“The very essence of gig work implies earning based on the volume of work performed. This is a very nascent economic sector; these workers fit neither the category of traditional outdoor workers nor that of formal employees,” Jain said.
She added that gig workers have not yet been recognised as outdoor workers under existing Heat Action Plans, despite their prolonged exposure to harsh weather conditions.
Researchers have recommended regulations covering:
Maximum working hours
Heat protection measures
Road safety guidelines
Access to breaks and rest facilities
Emergency healthcare support
Helmet use and speeding emerge as concerns
The study was conducted in two phases during July and October, surveying over 400 delivery riders.
Among the findings:
50% of riders were not wearing helmets
For riders using low-powered two-wheelers or mopeds, helmet non-compliance rose to 94%
12% exceeded the prescribed speed limit of 25 km/h, with some travelling up to 45 km/h
Researchers argue that the pressure associated with rapid delivery expectations creates a major “blind spot” in worker safety.
The preliminary report has already been shared with the Delhi Labour Department, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) and other stakeholders. The final report is expected to be submitted soon.
DEMAND FOR MIDDAY BREAKS AND REST AREAS
Worker groups have increasingly raised concerns over operating during extreme temperatures.
The Gig and Platform Service Workers Union recently appealed to the Delhi government, saying that delivering services in temperatures between 40°C and 45°C, combined with humidity, has become increasingly difficult.
Among the demands made by workers are:
Mandatory breaks between 12 pm and 3 pm
Shaded resting areas
Access to drinking water
Emergency medical facilities
The IIT Delhi findings add data to a growing debate around whether convenience-driven services and ultra-fast delivery models are placing disproportionate physical strain on workers.
As India’s gig economy expands, the study suggests that discussions around labour rights may increasingly shift from earnings and incentives to health, safety and working conditions.
